Briton Norris wins his first F1 title in Abu Dhabi

Lando Norris has claimed his first Formula One Drivers' Championship after securing the third-place finish he needed at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old took the title by just two points over Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Although Verstappen won the race—his eighth victory of the year, one more than both the Briton and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri—McLaren remained in control of a tension-filled finale. Piastri finished second, perfectly positioned to assist Norris had it been necessary.

Norris becomes the 11th British F1 world champion at the end of his seventh season in the sport. It was a year that started slowly but saw him come on strong in the second half. The victory also secures a historic double for McLaren, marking their first Drivers' and Constructors' titles in the same season since 1998.

“I haven't cried in a long time, and I didn't think I would cry, but I did,” a jubilant Norris said.

“It's amazing, but I now know what Max feels like. I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two top performers of the season. It's been a pleasure and an honour to compete against them both. I've loved it and it's been a long time coming, but we did it, and I'm so proud of everyone.”

Although the McLaren has been the fastest car on balance this season, Norris's championship victory is made all the more impressive by the fact that he defeated Verstappen, widely recognised as the best driver of his generation, in a fierce title fight. On the slowing-down lap, Norris wept as he received congratulations from his team, thanking them and his family for helping him fulfil a lifelong dream.

McLaren and Norris handle the pressure

Tension was high as the race began following a difficult weekend for McLaren. A double disqualification in Las Vegas, followed by a strategic error that handed Verstappen victory in Qatar, had raised the stakes for the team, who had already wrapped up the Constructors' Championship with six races to spare.

Norris took a cautious approach at the start, declining to fight Verstappen as the Dutchman held his lead from pole position on the run to the first corner. However, Piastri swept around the outside of Norris at the long left-hander of Turn Nine. This move had been discussed in McLaren's planning meetings as a way to bring the Australian into play against Verstappen, and Norris did not make it difficult for his teammate to pass.

With Piastri on hard tyres and Verstappen and Norris on mediums, the strategy was designed to force Red Bull's hand and prevent Verstappen from backing the field up into Norris. Norris was left to fight for third place with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, but he remained in control. The Briton finished behind Piastri in the final laps after a second tyre stop to cover Leclerc's two-stop strategy.

“It's incredible. It is pretty surreal, you know?” said Norris.

“I've been dreaming of this for a long, long time. Everyone does. A lot goes into a season like this—a lot of ups and a lot of downs. However, none of that matters as long as you try and come out on top, and that's what we've achieved. It's not just this year; it has been the past seven or eight years with McLaren, and the last 16 or 17 years of my life chasing this dream.”

Verstappen, who had been aiming to equal Michael Schumacher's record of five consecutive drivers' titles, was gracious in defeat.

“I was staring at the screen hoping something would pop up,” said the Red Bull driver. “I kept checking to see if something was happening, but it didn't, and that is racing, so I am not too worried about it. I have no regrets about my season.”

Norris resists Red Bull's tactics

Norris faced a scare after his first pit stop when he emerged behind Yuki Tsunoda in a battle for third place. In a move reminiscent of how Sergio Perez delayed Lewis Hamilton in the 2021 decider at the same circuit, Red Bull had started the Japanese driver on hard tyres specifically to affect the race.

Tsunoda, allegedly told to do everything he could to hold up Norris, weaved down the straight on lap 23. However, Norris committed to the inside line and kept his foot firmly down, even as he was forced marginally off track. The stewards investigated the incident but took no further action against Norris, though they did reprimand Tsunoda for excessive defensive movement.

Norris kept his composure until the chequered flag, sealing the achievement he had worked towards for 16 years and crowning a spectacular season for McLaren. It is the first Drivers' Championship won by the team since Lewis Hamilton's first title in 2008.

Abu Dhabi GP Top 10