Lando Norris became Formula One world champion for the first time after a dramatic race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The British McLaren driver, aged 26, finished third in the final race, which was just enough to beat Max Verstappen by two points. Norris ended the season with 423 points, while Verstappen had 421 and Oscar Piastri, also from McLaren, finished third overall with 410.
Although Verstappen won the final race and led from the start, he needed Norris to finish off the podium to keep his championship streak alive. Norris managed to hold on, finishing behind teammate Piastri, who came second. The win brought tears of joy to Norris, who said he had not cried in a long time and now understands how champions feel.
This result ended Verstappen’s four-year run as world champion and stopped him from becoming only the second driver in history to win five titles in a row, a record still held by Michael Schumacher.
McLaren also celebrated a team victory, having already won the Constructors’ Championship earlier in the season. It was the first time since 1998 that they won both titles in the same year.
Not everyone had a good day. New Zealand’s Liam Lawson finished 18th, his worst result in Formula One when finishing a race. He received a five-second penalty for erratic driving, which pushed him to the back of the pack. Lawson ended the season 14th in the standings.
The race also saw sportsmanship at its best, with Verstappen and Piastri congratulating Norris after the race. Norris thanked them both, saying it had been an honour to compete with them.
omg that’s crazy