Lando Norris wins first F1 world title after tense Abu Dhabi finale

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

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

Norris, who started second, was overtaken early by Piastri 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 ends Verstappen’s streak of four consecutive championship victories, which dated back to the Red Bull driver’s first win of 2021.

“Thank you guys,” an emotional Norris said afterward over team radio. “I love you guys, thank you for everything. I love you mom, I love you dad. And I’m crying!”

By winning the title this year, Norris became the first McLaren driver to win the world championship since Lewis Hamilton won his first title in 2008.

Norris looked destined for the title after back-to-back victories in Mexico and Brazil earlier this year, but McLaren’s double disqualification for a technical infraction in Las Vegas and a strategy error at the Qatar Grand Prix saw the championship fight 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 driver and reserve driver in 2017.

His first five seasons with the team resulted in no victories, but when McLaren made a key improvement to its car ahead of last year’s Miami Grand Prix, Norris took his first F1 victory that same weekend.

Three more victories followed in 2024, although an attempt to challenge for the title against Verstappen was snuffed out by the Red Bull driver with three rounds remaining.

With McLaren finishing well until 2024, Norris entered 2025 as the 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 victory as Piastri took four and took the championship lead at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in April.

Norris’s title hopes appeared to be hanging by a thread in August when a car breakdown saw him retire from the Dutch Grand Prix and fall 34 points behind Piastri in the standings.

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

Norris’s final steps towards the title were complicated by the disqualification of both McLarens from the Las Vegas Grand Prix for floorboard wear before the team’s pit wall dropped the ball to Qatar by failing to place either car under a safety car.

This resulted in a decisive match in Abu Dhabi, with Verstappen entering the final race 12 points behind Norris and Piastri 16 points behind.

“It’s been a long year but we did it and I’m very proud of everyone,” added Norris after the race.

“It’s amazing and quite surreal. I’ve been dreaming about it for a long, long time, I mean everyone does it. There’s a lot going on in 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’s what we managed to do.

“I’ve been chasing this dream for 16 or 17 years and today we made it come true.

“When I was down this year, that’s when I did my best and showed my best and did what I had to do today.

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