McLaren star Lando Norris sealed a dramatic maiden Formula 1 world championship on Sunday, securing the crown with a composed third-place finish at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Although Max Verstappen triumphed in the race for Red Bull, starting from pole and claiming his eighth win of the season — the defending champion fell just two points short of overturning Norris’ advantage in the overall standings.
Oscar Piastri slipped past Norris early on to take second at the flag, leaving the Australian 13 points behind his teammate in the final championship order.
Arriving at Yas Marina with a 12-point cushion over Verstappen and 16 over Piastri, the 26-year-old Brit knew a podium would be enough to deny both rivals.
It means Norris becomes the first British world champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2020 and halts Verstappen’s bid for a fifth consecutive title.
Throughout the campaign, McLaren’s duo had traded the championship lead before late-season pressure and strategy mistakes opened the door for Verstappen’s charge, a charge that fell just short despite his 71st career win.
When Norris crossed the line, relief swept through the McLaren garage. The team’s motorhome burst into celebration as CEO Zak Brown delivered his trademark humorous congratulations over the radio.
“Lando Norris, you are a WORLD CHAMPION! 🧡🥹”
“Lando, this is Zak from McLaren. Is this the world champion hotline? You did it! You did it! Awesome,” Brown said.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Norris struggled to contain himself.
“Oh my God, thanks so much. I love you guys. Thanks for everything,” he responded before breaking down in tears.
Norris remained seated in his car for a short while to gather himself, then climbed out to embrace his waiting parents on the trackside and celebrate with his engineers and mechanics, the team who helped take him to the top of the world.
