Lando Norris has bagged his first Formula 1 title. The McLaren driver delivered a calm, pressure-proof drive at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, finishing third behind Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to seal the title by just two points. Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi GP, the final race in the season. Let’s look at the finale results before looking at how the race unfolded…
Table of Contents
Abu Dhabi GP Results
- Max Verstappen
- Oscar Piastri
- Lando Norris
- Charles Leclerc
- George Russell
- Fernando Alonso
- Esteban Ocon
- Lewis Hamilton
- Nico Hulkenberg
- Lance Stroll
A High-Stakes Start
Norris lined up second on the grid, sandwiched between pole-sitter Verstappen and team-mate Piastri. He knew a podium would be enough to end the season as champion. Soon after the race started, Norris found himself in trouble. On the opening lap, Piastri pushed him to the third spot through a bold move around turn 9. This opened a window for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to attack. Leclerc stayed glued to the back of the McLaren, and did multiple DRS attempts in the early laps. But Norris held firm, keeping the position he needed even as the pressure mounted.
Traffic, Strategy and Tension
The race became even more complicated after Norris’s first pit stop. He rejoined in the midfield and had to fight through traffic to stay ahead of Leclerc. He cleared Antonelli, Stroll and Lawson with clean, decisive passes before catching Yuki Tsunoda.
Tsunoda, on a different tyre strategy, defended aggressively and almost pushed Norris off the track. The two went wheel-to-wheel into Turn 6, but Norris made the move stick. Moments later, stewards cleared Norris of any wrongdoing and handed Tsunoda a five-second penalty, giving the McLaren garage a massive sigh of relief.
Verstappen and Piastri Stay Perfect
Up front, Verstappen and Piastri ran flawless races. Verstappen controlled the pace from the lead after his pit stop and cruised to victory. Piastri kept him within reach on fresher tyres but did not have enough laps to close the gap.
Their strong finishes meant Norris had to stay in the top three. Anything less would have handed the title to Verstappen.
Norris Holds His Nerve
In the final stint, Leclerc pitted for fresh mediums and tried one last charge, forcing Norris to respond. Norris switched to hards and rebuilt a safe margin, keeping more than five seconds between himself and the Ferrari.
From there, he drove with maturity, staying out of trouble as the final laps ticked down. Verstappen crossed the line first, Piastri followed, and 15 seconds later Norris claimed third place- and his first world championship.
A Historic Finish
Norris beat Verstappen in the standings by just two points. Piastri ended the season 11 points behind his team-mate, completing a strong year for McLaren.
Leclerc finished fourth in the race, followed by George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon and Lewis Hamilton. Nico Hulkenberg marked his 250th race with a charge to ninth. Lance Stroll took the final point despite a penalty.
Further back, Bortoleto, Bearman, Sainz and a penalised Tsunoda filled the midfield. Antonelli, Albon, Hadjar, Lawson, Gasly and Colapinto rounded out the order in a race full of minor penalties, clashes and track-limit warnings.
Norris Celebrates Like a Champion
After crossing the line, Norris performed donuts on the main straight and climbed onto his McLaren, soaking in the cheers from the Abu Dhabi crowd. Emotions ran high as he thanked his family and McLaren for supporting him through the long journey to his first world title.
“It feels amazing,” Norris said. “I’ve worked for this for so many years. Racing Max and Oscar all season has made me a better driver. This is a dream come true.”
Verstappen Wins Abu Dhabi GP
Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi GP this year, with a decent dominance over the P2 finisher. He started from the pole and led the race from the front. The Abu Dhabi win wasn’t, however, enough to get him the World Championship. He missed the title by just two points! The Dutchman, however, described himself as ‘very proud‘ and added that losing the title by two points was painful, but he had already prepared for any outcome. He is quite satisfied with his performance at Yas Marina. “We put it on pole, we won the race in dominant fashion. There’s nothing more we could have done,”- said Verstappen.
What’s Next
Formula 1 now heads into its winter break. Teams will return to action in late January for a private test in Barcelona as preparations begin for the new 2026 regulations. The next season will also see the phasing out of DRS tech. Instead, a ‘manual override engine mode’ will be introduced. It will give a temporary boost from the hybrid powertrain.
Images source: F1
