Lando Norris became Britain’s 11th Formula One world champion after clinching the 2025 Drivers’ Championship with a nervy third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The McLaren driver ended the season with 423 points, narrowly edging out Max Verstappen on 421 and teammate Oscar Piastri on 410.
Verstappen, who won the season finale with his eighth victory of the campaign, fell just short of a fifth consecutive title. Piastri finished second in Abu Dhabi, 12.5 seconds behind Verstappen, while Norris’s podium secured his maiden championship.
Norris broke down in tears of joy and relief after crossing the line, saying the triumph felt “amazing” and acknowledging the fierce competition from Verstappen and Piastri. His mother, Cisca Norris, embraced Piastri in a touching moment, while both rivals congratulated the new champion in a display of sportsmanship.
McLaren celebrated a historic double, having already sealed the Constructors’ Championship in October for the second year running. The team achieved both titles in the same season for the first time since 1998.
The result denied Verstappen the chance to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of five consecutive titles, underscoring the significance of Norris’s breakthrough.
Elsewhere in the race, Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari, George Russell took fifth for Mercedes, and Fernando Alonso claimed sixth for Aston Martin. Esteban Ocon secured seventh for Haas, ahead of Ferrari’s seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who endured a career-low season without a single podium. Nico Hulkenberg marked his 250th race with a ninth for Sauber, while Lance Stroll rounded out the top ten for Aston Martin.
