Lando Norris has won his first Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship after a tense three-way battle culminated in a third-place finish at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, with Monaco’s Charles Leclerc finishing fourth after a spirited drive for Ferrari.
The 26-year-old McLaren driver finished just two points ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the final standings, denying the Dutchman a fifth consecutive world title. Norris becomes the first British driver to claim the championship since Lewis Hamilton’s triumph in 2020.
Red Bull’s Verstappen won the final race from pole position, with Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri finishing second. However, Norris’s third-place finish was sufficient to secure the title, sparking jubilant celebrations in the McLaren garage as the team completed a remarkable double, having already clinched the Constructors’ Championship in Singapore in October.
Emotional scenes as Norris realises championship dream
After crossing the line, Norris remained in his car for several moments, visibly overcome with emotion. His parents were trackside to witness the historic moment, and he embraced them before celebrating with his McLaren engineers and mechanics. The British driver later performed celebratory doughnuts on the circuit.
Team CEO Zak Brown’s congratulatory message over the radio captured the joy of the moment. “Lando, this is Zak from McLaren. Is this the world champion hotline? You did it! You did it! Awesome,” Brown said.
Norris, struggling to control his emotions, responded through tears: “Oh my God, thanks so much. I love you guys. Thanks for everything.”
Title decided by slender margin in three-way battle
Norris entered the decisive race 12 points ahead of Verstappen and 16 ahead of Piastri, setting up a tense finale at the Yas Marina Circuit. For Verstappen to claim the title, he needed Norris to finish fourth or lower, whilst Piastri required a victory with Norris finishing outside the top five.
Verstappen controlled the race from the front, with the grid positions reflecting the championship battle as Norris started alongside him on the front row and Piastri third. Despite the pressure, Norris delivered a measured performance to secure the points needed, with Piastri ultimately finishing third in the championship standings, 13 points behind his teammate.
Leclerc congratulates Norris after strong Ferrari showing
Monaco’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth in the race after a spirited drive for Ferrari, having made up a place at the start and battled with Fernando Alonso before closing on Norris during the middle stages of the race. The Monégasque driver attempted to attack the McLaren but was unable to find a way past.
After the race, Leclerc was gracious in congratulating the new champion. “Congratulations to Lando for his first title. He has been doing an incredible job of driving this year and it’s fully deserved,” Leclerc said.
The Ferrari driver reflected on a challenging season for the Italian team. “I gave it everything and our team executed the race perfectly. Unfortunately, P4 was all there was in it for us today. I really wanted to finish the season on a high, bringing home a podium for everyone, and I was close to Lando in a few moments of the race, but it was not enough to make a pass.”
Leclerc thanked the Ferrari team and the Tifosi for their support throughout what he described as a tough season, adding that the team would regroup in Maranello to prepare for the challenges ahead. “Next season is still a blank slate, and we don’t know where the other teams stand, so we don’t have any real expectations yet,” he noted.
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Photo source: Scuderia Ferrari Media Centre