The 26-year-old secured the championship by a margin of two points ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who clinched the race to achieve his eighth win of the season, surpassing both the British driver and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by one victory.
Throughout the race, McLaren maintained an advantageous position filled with drama, despite Verstappen’s early lead from the first lap, as Piastri came in second, allowing him to potentially support Norris if necessary.
As the 11th British F1 world champion, Norris completes his seventh season in Formula 1, which began slowly but saw him excel significantly during the latter half of the year.
This marks the first time since 1998 that McLaren has achieved a dual title in both drivers’ and constructors’ categories.
“I haven’t cried in quite some time and honestly didn’t expect to cry, but I did,” expressed a thrilled Norris. “It feels incredible; I now understand Max’s experience. I want to extend my congratulations to Max and Oscar, my top competitors throughout the entire season.
“It has been a privilege to compete against both of them, and I have gained a lot from racing alongside them. “I’ve really enjoyed this and while the year has been long, we made it happen, and I am immensely proud of everyone.”
Although McLaren has been the fastest overall car this season, Norris’s championship victory carries extra significance since he triumphed despite the fierce challenge posed by Verstappen, widely regarded as the best driver of his era. Norris shed tears in his car during the cooldown lap, accepting acknowledgments from his team and expressing gratitude to them and his family for helping him realize his lifelong dream.
Norris and McLaren’s composed and steady approach to securing the title
A contest between Norris and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda as the latter attempted to assist Verstappen during the middle of the race, along with a fleeting threat of a penalty directed at the McLaren driver. A commanding win from Verstappen that capped what is possibly the most remarkable season of his career. McLaren and Norris handling the stress effectively
As the race commenced after a tense weekend for McLaren, the pressure intensified due to the team’s struggles in the two races leading up to this one.
A dual disqualification in Las Vegas combined with a mismanaged strategy that allowed Verstappen to win in Qatar heightened expectations for McLaren at the conclusion of a year in which they secured the constructors’ championship with six races remaining. Norris adopted a careful strategy at the start, refraining from challenging Verstappen as the Dutch driver defended his lead forcefully from pole position heading towards the first turn.
Midway through the lap, Piastri executed an outside maneuver around Norris at the extended left curve of Turn Nine.
The decision had been previously explored during McLaren strategy discussions as a method to involve the Australian in the fight for the win against Verstappen. Norris did not hinder his teammate’s opportunity to overtake.
Piastri was utilizing hard tyres, while Verstappen and Norris were on medium, so the strategy aimed to extend their runs and present Red Bull with a challenge, mitigating the chance of him slowing down the pack to Norris’ detriment. Norris was engaged in a competition with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for third position but maintained control throughout.
Following a second pit stop for Norris to emulate Leclerc’s two-stop approach, the Briton closed the gap on Piastri in the closing laps. “It’s astonishing. It feels quite unreal, you know?” remarked Norris. “I’ve envisioned this for many years. Everyone does.
“A lot is involved in a season like this, numerous highs and lows. But none of that counts as long as you strive to come out ahead, which is what we have accomplished.
“This isn’t merely about this year; it’s been the last seven or eight years with McLaren, in addition to the 16 or 17 years of my life, pursuing this aspiration, and today we all succeeded so I’m really pleased.”
Verstappen, who was trying to match Michael Schumacher’s record of five consecutive titles for drivers, expressed: “I kept glancing at the screen, wishing for some good news. Every straight, I checked to see if anything was changing, but it wasn’t, and that’s part of racing, and I’m not too worried about it. “I have no regrets regarding my season.”
Norris resists Red Bull’s Tsunoda tactics
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, team principal Andrea Stella and Lando Norris capture the celebrations in Abu Dhabi
The most intense moment for Norris occurred following his initial pit stop when he found himself trailing Tsunoda in a contest for third position. Red Bull had equipped the Japanese racer with hard tyres with the specific intention of influencing the race for Verstappen’s opponent, similar to the actions of Sergio Perez in his controversial showdown with Lewis Hamilton in 2021.
Red Bull clearly communicated that he “understood what was required” after he was instructed to do everything possible to impede Norris On the 23rd lap, he swerved along the straight, yet Norris opted for the inside lane, maintaining full acceleration even as he was pushed slightly off the track.
The situation was reviewed by the stewards, who considered if Norris would face a penalty for completing the overtaking maneuver outside the designated area. The officials decided against taking further action on that matter, but they did sanction Tsunoda for making excessive defensive movements. From that point forward, Norris could merely wish that his vehicle would withstand the remainder of the race, which it did, ultimately achieving a milestone that he expressed on Thursday he had been striving toward for 16 years, and emphasizing an excellent season for McLaren. This marks the first drivers’ championship secured by the team since Lewis Hamilton’s inaugural title in 2008.
Abu Dhabi GP top 10
Lando Norris is the first new Briton to win the world title since Jenson Button in 2009
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
7. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
8. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
