McLaren driver Lando Norris has been crowned Formula 1 world champion, sealing the title with a hard-fought third-place finish at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 26-year-old becomes the 11th British driver to win the prestigious Drivers' Championship, ending a dramatic season-long battle.
The Championship Showdown in Abu Dhabi
Norris arrived at the Yas Marina Circuit carrying the weight of expectation, leading the standings by 12 points from reigning champion Max Verstappen. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, was also mathematically in contention, just four points behind Verstappen. The equation was simple: a podium finish would guarantee Norris the crown, a chance he had missed the previous weekend in Qatar due to a strategic error.
Qualifying set the stage, with Norris securing a crucial second place on the grid, splitting the Red Bulls by beating Sergio Perez and lining up behind pole-sitter Verstappen. Piastri qualified third, making it a tense intra-team battle for McLaren.
A Tense Race to the Title
The race began with high drama. Norris made a strong start but was immediately covered by Verstappen into Turn One. He then lost a position to the hard-tyre starting Piastri, who executed a clean move around the outside of Turn Nine. Early pressure then came from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who lurked within DRS range.
A pivotal moment came on lap 16, when Norris dived into the pits for his first stop to protect against an undercut from rivals. A swift service from his McLaren crew released him into traffic, but crucially ahead of Leclerc. The Briton then embarked on a series of decisive overtakes, most notably on the defensive Yuki Tsunoda, who later received a five-second penalty for erratic defending.
Managing the Gap to Glory
With the midfield cleared, Norris's task shifted to tyre and gap management. He built a six-second buffer over Leclerc while Piastri attempted a longer first stint. The final round of pit stops saw a nervous moment for McLaren, pitting Norris just 2.4 seconds after Leclerc to cover the threat. The stop was clean, and Norris emerged with his position secure.
In the closing laps, Leclerc closed in, but Norris had preserved his rubber and maintained a steady four-second advantage. As he crossed the finish line in third place, behind Verstappen and a late-charging George Russell, a seven-year journey in the sport reached its ultimate destination. The result confirmed Lando Norris as the 2025 Formula 1 World Champion, sparking celebrations for the driver, his team, and British motorsport fans worldwide.
