LANDO NORRIS SECURES 2025 F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AS VERSTAPPEN WINS IN ABU DHABI
Lando Norris handled the pressure of a tense Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to finish third and secure his first Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship. He followed race winner Max Verstappen and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri across the line, doing exactly what he needed to take the 2025 title.
Norris started the race from second, between Verstappen and Piastri. He knew a top-three finish would guarantee the championship. Piastri passed him with a bold move on the first lap, dropping Norris to third.
From there, Norris had to defend from Charles Leclerc, deal with traffic after his first pit stop, and fight closely with Yuki Tsunoda. Despite the pressure, he kept control and finished P3, enough to win the championship by just two points over Verstappen, with Piastri ending 11 points back.
Leclerc finished fourth, followed by George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon and Lewis Hamilton. Nico Hulkenberg took ninth in his 250th race, and Lance Stroll claimed the last point in 10th despite a penalty. Further back, Ollie Bearman and Tsunoda also received penalties for aggressive defending.
The final race came after a long 23-round season where three drivers, Norris, Verstappen and Piastri, arrived in Abu Dhabi with a chance to win the title. Verstappen took pole position ahead of Norris and Piastri, setting up a tight final showdown. Most drivers started on medium tyres, with a few choosing hards or softs.
At the start, Verstappen kept the lead, while Piastri made a dramatic move around Norris for second. Leclerc and Alonso stayed close behind. Early pit stops began with Hulkenberg, while midfield drivers battled hard and picked up notes or penalties from the stewards for various incidents.
McLaren delayed Norris’s first stop to help him build a gap to Leclerc. When he finally pitted, he rejoined in traffic and had to quickly overtake Antonelli, Stroll and Lawson. His toughest fight came against Tsunoda, who defended strongly and briefly forced Norris off the track.
Tsunoda later received a five-second penalty, while stewards decided Norris gained no unfair advantage.
Up front, Verstappen and Piastri ran long on their stints before pitting. Later in the race, Leclerc stopped again for fresh mediums, which forced McLaren to also pit Norris for new hards. Verstappen passed Piastri and moved into the lead, while Piastri chased him on newer tyres but could not close the full gap.
Norris held third with a safe margin over Leclerc, and once the final laps began, only needed to avoid mistakes. After Verstappen took the win and Piastri finished second, Norris crossed the line in third—a result that confirmed him as the 2025 World Champion.
Behind them, Ocon beat Hamilton for seventh, Hulkenberg finished ninth, and Stroll took tenth. Several drivers further down the order picked up penalties for track limits, speeding, or unsafe defending. Alpine ended another difficult season at the back with Gasly and Colapinto in 19th and 20th.
After returning to the pits, Norris celebrated with donuts on the main straight before climbing onto his McLaren to enjoy the cheers from the fans. The season ends with an emotional and hard-earned championship for the British driver.
Teams and drivers will now take a winter break before preparing for the 2026 season, beginning with private testing at Barcelona in late January.
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