Verstappen wins race yet falls short
Lando Norris has been crowned Formula One’s newest World Champion after a tense, tactical, and occasionally nerve-shredding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, becoming the sport’s 35th title-holder and securing McLaren’s first drivers’ crown since Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 triumph.
The 26-year-old Briton finished third on the road at Yas Marina, enough to fend off a ferocious late-season charge from Max Verstappen, whose victory on the night left him agonisingly shy of what would have been a fifth consecutive championship.
The result closed the curtain on one of the most finely poised finales in modern F1 history, with three drivers entering the final round in mathematical contention for the crown for the first time since 2010.
Emotional scenes follow final lap
Norris had carried a slender 12-point lead into Abu Dhabi, but the closing stages of the season had been anything but straightforward. Disqualifications for both McLarens in Las Vegas, followed by a strategy misfire in Qatar, had allowed Verstappen to slash what was once a commanding advantage.
In the early laps, that fragility showed. Oscar Piastri’s sensational sweep around the outside of Norris at the banked Turn 9 demoted the championship leader to third, leaving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc looming large in the mirrors as the race settled into a rhythm.
For a time, the pressure ranked alongside the highest Norris has faced all year. But as Leclerc’s tyres faded in the final stint, the McLaren driver began to edge out of reach and, crucially, into the points needed to secure the crown.
When he crossed the line, radio crackled with emotion. Norris thanked his team, his family, and notably his rivals. Later in parc fermé, still processing the scale of his achievement, he admitted: “It’s incredible, pretty surreal. I’ve dreamed of this for a long time… a lot goes into a season like this, a lot of ups and downs, but none of that matters once you cross the line and know you’ve done it.”
Verstappen wins yet misses title
Verstappen had arrived in Abu Dhabi knowing only victory would keep him in the hunt, and even that would rely on misfortune elsewhere. He delivered his part with clinical precision, taking pole and controlling the race with familiar authority.
The Dutchman’s eighth win of the season completed a remarkable comeback, having trailed Norris by more than 100 points after Zandvoort. Yet it was not enough. Norris’s podium sealed the deal and shifted the number one plate away from Verstappen’s car for the first time since 2020.
After the race, Verstappen was philosophical. “We didn’t win the championship, okay, that happens,” he said. “The turnaround has been fun… I’m proud of the people I work with, they are my second family. We will enjoy what we did in the second half of the season.”
Piastri’s bold charge falls short
If Norris and Verstappen were the headline acts, Oscar Piastri provided the standout moment of the race. Needing a win and a collapse from both title rivals, the Australian delivered one of the signature overtakes of the season, sweeping around Norris in a move that stunned McLaren’s pit wall.
Starting on the hard tyres allowed Piastri to run long and momentarily take the race lead when Verstappen pitted. But switching to mediums left him unable to close the gap on the Red Bull, and he ultimately finished second in the race and third in the championship.
Reflecting afterward, the 24-year-old said: “I tried my best and put myself in the best position I could… It wasn’t to be. But looking at the season as a whole, I’m very proud.”
His first act after climbing out of the car was to congratulate Norris, a gesture that encapsulated the dynamic between Formula One’s newest elite pairing.
Teams’ contest reaches conclusion
Beyond the drivers’ duel, the teams’ championship delivered its own late drama. George Russell’s controlled fifth place ensured Mercedes secured second overall, finishing 18 points ahead of Red Bull. Ferrari ended the year fourth after a subdued evening from Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.
Aston Martin ended the campaign just three points behind the Racing Bulls, while Haas celebrated a valuable seventh in the race thanks to Esteban Ocon. Kick Sauber – set to become Audi next season – took ninth in the final standings after Nico Hülkenberg’s ninth-place finish, leaving Alpine rooted to the bottom and nearly 50 points adrift.
Hollywood meets F1 spectacle
Star names flocked to Yas Marina for the season’s dramatic conclusion. Actress Ana de Armas waved the chequered flag for Verstappen’s win and toured the Ferrari garage with Lewis Hamilton. Katy Perry lent glamour to McLaren’s garage as Norris prepared for the most important race of his career, while musician Benson Boone also dropped in.
From the sporting world, tennis sensation Jannik Sinner watched the action unfold, joined by football legends Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho, underscoring the growing cultural reach of a championship that delivered its most gripping finale in over a decade.
Norris ushers in new era
As fireworks lit up the Abu Dhabi night, McLaren’s mechanics embraced in scenes reminiscent of their early-2000s glory days. A title 17 years in the making had finally returned to Woking.
In a season marked by controversy, resurgence, and a battle of generational talents, the final word belonged to Lando Norris – the young Briton who navigated the chaos, found consistency when it mattered, and etched his name into Formula One history.
