🔗 Share this article The British driver Lando Norris Wins First Formula One World Title in Yas Marina In Spite Of Max Verstappen's Grand Prix Victory. In a display of nerveless driving, the McLaren driver has sealed his first Formula One world championship by achieving a podium finish at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. That finish was sufficient for the British driver, despite the fact that Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri came home in second. The driver performed precisely what was needed in an incredibly high-pressure battle at the Yas Marina Circuit, featuring a series of bold overtakes, with impeccable execution from both himself and his team. A Historic Achievement for Britain and The Team In taking his maiden world championship, Norris becomes the 11th British driver to accomplish the feat. It also brings to an end the team's drivers’ championship wait, which went back to 2008 when Lewis Hamilton last won it. Additionally, it had been 27 years since McLaren achieved the drivers’ and constructors’ double back in 1998. It represents a remarkable turnaround for the Woking-based outfit, from a nadir in the mid-2010s when they ended up ninth in the standings. This resurgence has been led by boss Zak Brown and, more recently, by Andrea Stella, who has built an well-drilled outfit with a hugely competitive car. The new champion performs a celebratory spin after winning the world championship. A Tale of Two Teammates For his teammate Oscar Piastri, who had looked so strong for a large part of the season, there was obvious disappointment at stumbling in the later races. Several of poor performances and some errors, including a crash in Baku, proved costly. However, he finishes the season having demonstrated he is too world champion material. To have been so competitive in only his third season in F1, with seven wins, remains very impressive. Verstappen too had been brilliant to take the fight down to the last race. He did all he could in Abu Dhabi with the win, but after fighting back from a significant deficit mid-season, he did not quite have enough to catch Norris, finishing just two points behind. Closing it Out with Ruthless Precision Norris closed out his success with clinical focus to take the championship that had been within reach but eluded him as McLaren found themselves floundering at the previous two rounds. First a DSQ in Las Vegas and then an questionable strategy call in Qatar. This represents a significant accomplishment for the 26-year-old in his seventh season in F1, each one with McLaren. He stuck with the team even during some difficult times, convinced they would return to the top. That belief was rewarded in Abu Dhabi. Norris performed a hugely impressive job to persist with his task, keeping his composure and confidence during periods under pressure. After losing the lead to Piastri earlier, he still worked at getting the most from the car's potential. Lando Norris chases down the Red Bull of another competitor during the race. The Decisive Race At the start, Verstappen kept his lead through the first corner, but the main contenders avoided contact. Piastri, using the hard tyre, was feisty and made a brilliant move to go round the outside of Norris to claim second place. It showed the McLarens were free to race, but left Norris under pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The first round pit stops saw Norris come out into midfield traffic, but he overtook rivals within a lap and showed no signs of nerves in his driving. During the race, he made an absolutely bravura move to dive past two cars in one swoop, climbing to fourth and closing on Verstappen's teammate. Red Bull instructed their driver to delay Norris, which resulted in a breathtaking assault where Norris burst up the inside line, almost leaving the track. The incident was looked at by the stewards, with a few nerve-wracking laps elapsing before a penalty for his rival and no further action for Norris was decided. This decisive charge without being held up was vital to his title fight. Contrasting Fates As Norris was crowned the first Briton to win the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2020, the contrast in fortunes between the two was pronounced. As the young guns fought for the title, Hamilton, the veteran, could manage only eighth place in Abu Dhabi, a dismal conclusion to a dismal season with Ferrari. Making his debut with the Italian team had been greeted with enthusiasm but produced what was comfortably his worst season ever, ending up sixth in the championship without a podium. He has looked weary in the closing races and will aim to reset over the off-season. Lando Norris celebrates on his car after becoming world champion.
In a display of nerveless driving, the McLaren driver has sealed his first Formula One world championship by achieving a podium finish at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. That finish was sufficient for the British driver, despite the fact that Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri came home in second. The driver performed precisely what was needed in an incredibly high-pressure battle at the Yas Marina Circuit, featuring a series of bold overtakes, with impeccable execution from both himself and his team. A Historic Achievement for Britain and The Team In taking his maiden world championship, Norris becomes the 11th British driver to accomplish the feat. It also brings to an end the team's drivers’ championship wait, which went back to 2008 when Lewis Hamilton last won it. Additionally, it had been 27 years since McLaren achieved the drivers’ and constructors’ double back in 1998. It represents a remarkable turnaround for the Woking-based outfit, from a nadir in the mid-2010s when they ended up ninth in the standings. This resurgence has been led by boss Zak Brown and, more recently, by Andrea Stella, who has built an well-drilled outfit with a hugely competitive car. The new champion performs a celebratory spin after winning the world championship. A Tale of Two Teammates For his teammate Oscar Piastri, who had looked so strong for a large part of the season, there was obvious disappointment at stumbling in the later races. Several of poor performances and some errors, including a crash in Baku, proved costly. However, he finishes the season having demonstrated he is too world champion material. To have been so competitive in only his third season in F1, with seven wins, remains very impressive. Verstappen too had been brilliant to take the fight down to the last race. He did all he could in Abu Dhabi with the win, but after fighting back from a significant deficit mid-season, he did not quite have enough to catch Norris, finishing just two points behind. Closing it Out with Ruthless Precision Norris closed out his success with clinical focus to take the championship that had been within reach but eluded him as McLaren found themselves floundering at the previous two rounds. First a DSQ in Las Vegas and then an questionable strategy call in Qatar. This represents a significant accomplishment for the 26-year-old in his seventh season in F1, each one with McLaren. He stuck with the team even during some difficult times, convinced they would return to the top. That belief was rewarded in Abu Dhabi. Norris performed a hugely impressive job to persist with his task, keeping his composure and confidence during periods under pressure. After losing the lead to Piastri earlier, he still worked at getting the most from the car's potential. Lando Norris chases down the Red Bull of another competitor during the race. The Decisive Race At the start, Verstappen kept his lead through the first corner, but the main contenders avoided contact. Piastri, using the hard tyre, was feisty and made a brilliant move to go round the outside of Norris to claim second place. It showed the McLarens were free to race, but left Norris under pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The first round pit stops saw Norris come out into midfield traffic, but he overtook rivals within a lap and showed no signs of nerves in his driving. During the race, he made an absolutely bravura move to dive past two cars in one swoop, climbing to fourth and closing on Verstappen's teammate. Red Bull instructed their driver to delay Norris, which resulted in a breathtaking assault where Norris burst up the inside line, almost leaving the track. The incident was looked at by the stewards, with a few nerve-wracking laps elapsing before a penalty for his rival and no further action for Norris was decided. This decisive charge without being held up was vital to his title fight. Contrasting Fates As Norris was crowned the first Briton to win the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2020, the contrast in fortunes between the two was pronounced. As the young guns fought for the title, Hamilton, the veteran, could manage only eighth place in Abu Dhabi, a dismal conclusion to a dismal season with Ferrari. Making his debut with the Italian team had been greeted with enthusiasm but produced what was comfortably his worst season ever, ending up sixth in the championship without a podium. He has looked weary in the closing races and will aim to reset over the off-season. Lando Norris celebrates on his car after becoming world champion.