Norris wins first F1 world title after tense finale

YAS MARINA, Abu Dhabi — Lando Norris became the Formula 1 world drivers’ champion for the first time after securing the 2025 title at Sunday’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.

The McLaren driver fought off year-long challenges from teammate Oscar Piastri and defending champion Max Verstappen before clinching the title at the final round, where all three had a chance.

Norris, starting second, was overtaken by Piastri early but held off the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc to finish third, which was all he needed to triumph. Verstappen won the race, but finished two points behind Norris in the standings.

Norris’ title brings an end to Verstappen’s run of four consecutive championship victories, which stretched back to the Red Bull driver’s first title win in 2021.

“Thank you guys,” an emotional Norris said on the team radio afterward. “I love you guys, thanks for everything. I love you Mum, I love you Dad. And I’m crying!”

In securing this year’s title, Norris became the first McLaren driver to win the world championship since Lewis Hamilton secured his first title in 2008.

Norris appeared to be locked on for the title after consecutive victories in Mexico and Brazil earlier this year, but McLaren’s double disqualification for a technical infringement in Las Vegas and a strategy error at the Qatar Grand Prix saw the fight for the championship go down to the final round in Abu Dhabi.

The 26-year-old has driven for McLaren in F1 since 2019 after joining the team as a junior and reserve driver in 2017.

His first five seasons with the team yielded no victories, but when McLaren brought a key upgrade to its car ahead of last year’s Miami Grand Prix, Norris secured his first F1 race win the same weekend.

A further three wins followed in 2024, although an attempt to mount a title challenge against Verstappen was snuffed out by the Red Bull driver with three rounds remaining.

With McLaren’s strong finish to 2024, Norris entered 2025 as the odds-on favorite, although it became clear early in the season that he would face stiff competition from Piastri.

Norris won the opening round in Australia but then went six races without a race victory as Piastri notched up four of his own and took the lead in the championship at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in April.

Norris’ title hopes appeared to hang by a thread in August when a car failure saw him retire from the Dutch Grand Prix and drop 34 points behind Piastri in the standings.

However, a combination of Piastri’s own struggles and Norris hitting a patch of form that included his memorable victories in Mexico and Brazil saw the title swing back in Norris’ favor.

Norris’ final steps towards the title were complicated by both McLarens being disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix for plank wear before the team’s pit wall dropped the ball in Qatar by not pitting either car under a safety car.

That set up a decider in Abu Dhabi, with Verstappen entering the final race 12 points behind Norris and Piastri 16 points behind.

“It has been a long year but we did it and I am so proud of everyone,” Norris added after the race.

“It is incredible and pretty surreal. I dreamed of this for a long, long time, I mean everyone does. A lot goes into a season like this, a lot of ups and downs but none of that matters as long as you come out on top and that is what we managed to do.

“It has been the last 16 to 17 years of my life chasing this dream and today we did it.

“When I was on the back foot this year, that is when I did my best and showed the best of me and I did what I needed to do today.

Norris is now the 35th driver to win the world championship in Formula 1’s 75-year history.