Race report and reaction
Time to wave the chequered flag on today’s live blog, and a thrilling F1 season. I’ll leave you with Giles’ Richards race report. Thanks for joining me – see you in March for the Australian Grand Prix. Bye!
And here’s Oscar Piastri, who won four of the first six races but ultimately came up short. “We gave it everything, a bit of a gamble on strategy to try and win the race and the championship. That’s all you can ask for. It’s been a fun challenge, hasn’t felt like that at times, but a very enjoyable season for both of us.”
“I’ve learned a lot from what Lando does, it’s nice to know it goes both ways. I think it’s made us both better drivers, and there’s plenty more to come. At times this year I felt unstoppable – a pretty cool feeling to have – but I’ve learned a lot of lessons in tough moments.”
Lewis Hamilton: “I’m really, really happy for Lando. Winning your first world title is truly special. The UK continues to pump out great drivers. I know how he must have felt today, it’s nerve-wracking. I told him before the weekend, what he’s been doing has worked, so don’t change anything. I guess that’s what he did.”
Updated
Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button … Lando Norris. The McLaren driver is Britain’s 11th F1 world champion, and has earned a message from PM Keir Starmer.
“Congratulations @LandoNorris, Britain’s new @F1 champion! An unbelievable season and so well deserved,” Starmer wrote on X.
Andrea Stella, the McLaren team principal, credits Red Bull for “raising the bar” and pushing his drivers all the way. “There was pain and disappointment in the last few races, but I’m most proud of how we responded to the difficulties. This makes the difference, when you’re trying to beat a four-times world champion.”
Norris also pays tribute to Oscar Piastri: “He’s newer to this than me but I’ve learned a lot from him. He was performing much better than me until the season break. I’ve really benefited from having him as a teammate – sadly, we’ve got plenty more seasons together!
“I went away and worked on myself, the little details – and look, I won by what, two points? I want to give congrats to Oscar and to Max, for making us stress like hell. Oscar has driven incredibly, and at some point he’s going to get the better of me.”
More from Lando Norris: “It’s pretty cool. It’s pretty insane. It’s hard for me to even say it yet … maybe tomorrow morning. Has it been a perfect season? Absolutely not. I’ve had struggles, but I’ve also had luck and fortune. I think I had the consistency over the season, I felt a lot of discomfort.
“Not many things in my life have made me cry, but this is one. [On the last lap] I thought about my mum, my dad and how happy they would be. I almost had more problems trying to relax at the end, those quiet laps, you run back the journey, like in the movies.
What was he thinking about? “My first ever time in a go kart, looking like an absolute rookie,” he laughs. “I’ve been with this team for eight years, I wanted to win for McLaren, we got both titles together. They’ve given me an incredible car, but there have been struggles.”
Drivers' championship: top 10
1 Lando Norris (GB) McLaren 423pts
2 Max Verstappen (Neth) Red Bull 421pts
3 Oscar Piastri (Aus) McLaren 410pts
4 George Russell (GB) Mercedes 319pts
5 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 242pts
6 Lewis Hamilton (GB) Ferrari 156pts
7 Kimi Antonelli (It) Mercedes 150pts
8 Alexander Albon (Thai) Williams 73pts
9 Carlos Sainz (Sp) Williams 64pts
10 Fernando Alonso (Sp) Aston Martin 56pts
From the despair of Zandvoort to glory in Abu Dhabi, here’s Giles Richards on how Lando Norris became world champion.
Here are the thoughts of Lando Norris’ mum, Cisca Wauman. “I’m emotionally drained – so happy for McLaren and all the fans. A lot of sacrifices – by the time he was eight, Lando and his brother Ollie were competing [in karting]. I feel like he missed a lot of childhood.”
On today’s race, she adds: “The last few laps took ages! They were calling us down with 10 laps to go … the race is not over. Anything could still happen! But we did it.”
Updated
Carlos Sainz gives his reaction: “Lando has always been an extremely quick, talented driver, more than people give him credit for,” he says of his former McLaren teammate.
“More than anything, happy for him as a person, he doesn’t fit the [F1] stereotype. He’s shown you can be a world champion and show that human side, you can be yourself – you can’t have to be a ‘badass’. He must have suffered this year with all the pressure, Max breathing down his neck, but he’s kept control and he’s won it.”
Updated
“It feels like a championship born of opportunism rather than dominance,” says Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo. “Lando did just enough, but also felt wobbly in the buildup. Part of what’s great about Lando is how transparent he is about his own confidence issues. It’s great to see him leap over the bar and likely come back stronger for the seasons to come.”
Abu Dhabi GP: full race result
1 Max Verstappen (Neth) Red Bull 1:26:07.469
2 Oscar Piastri (Aus) McLaren +12.59sec
3 Lando Norris (GB) McLaren +16.57s
4 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari +48.56s
5 George Russell (GB) Mercedes +23.28s
6 Fernando Alonso (Sp) Aston Martin +1:07.56
7 Esteban Ocon (Fr) Haas +1:09.88
8 Lewis Hamilton (GB) Ferrari +1:12.67
9 Nico Hülkenberg (Ger) Sauber +1:19.01
10 Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin +1:19.52
11 Gabriel Bortoleto (Bra) Kick Sauber +1:21.04
12 Oliver Bearman (GB) Haas +1:21.17
13 Carlos Sainz (Sp) Williams +1:22.158
14 Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Red Bull +1:23.79
15 Kimi Antonelli (It) Mercedes +1:24.40
16 Alexander Albon (Thai) Williams +1:30.33
17 Isack Hadjar (Fr) RacingBulls + 1 lap
18 Liam Lawson (NZ) RacingBulls + 1 lap
19 Pierre Gasly (Fr) Alpine + 1 lap
20 Franco Colapinto (Arg) Alpine + 1 lap
On Oscar Piastri, Brown says: “He’s a future world champion – both guys won seven races this year. It can be a cruel sport, but we can’t wait to go racing again next season.”
Zak Brown, McLaren CEO: “We let our two drivers race to the end, a lot of people said that was impossible to pull off. This Max guy is a great champion, he’s pretty hard to beat.”
“As many highs as we’ve had this season, we’ve had some lows, some terrifying moments towards the end of the year. Everyone has done an awesome job. That was not an easy race – great pit stops, good strategy, keeping Charles [Leclerc] at bay.”
“My best performances came when I needed them the most,” Norris adds. “I managed to get the gap I needed, to do what I needed to do today. I’ve got my family, my girlfriend here. I managed to do them proud, put some smiles on their faces. My mum and dad helped me chase this dream – I love all you guys.”
Lando Norris talks to Sky: “It’s incredible, surreal … I dreamed of this for a long time, everybody does. A lot of ups, a lot of downs [this season] but I managed to get the job done, with an incredible team. The last 16, 17 years of my life trying to chase this dream … so I’m pretty happy.”
“Congratulations for Lando from Switzerland, he really deserves the F1 title and I hope he will win many more,” writes Peter M. Between Piastri’s flying start and Verstappen’s late fightback, Norris has come in for plenty of flak this season – but he deserves huge credit for winning this title under such extreme pressure.
It had to be these three drivers on the final podium of the year, although we now have the slightly strange sight of Norris, the world champion, on the third step with Verstappen in the middle as race winner.
This was his eighth grand prix win of the season, edging out Norris and Piastri, who both picked up seven. George Russell of Mercedes was the only other driver to win a race – in fact, he won two.
After all of the drama, hype and hoopla, suddenly it’s just the three drivers together on a massive sofa – one a world champion, the other two the embodiment of crestfallen. “You didn’t think about backing up?” Piastri asks Verstappen with a smile. “Congratulations” is Verstappen’s one-word greeting to his successor as world champion.
Here’s our race report:
Coulthard asks Norris if it’s sunk in yet that he’s a world champion, setting the poor bloke off again. Another big roar from the crowd. “I’ve been at McLaren for nine years – plenty of crazy, difficult times, plenty of good times. I’m proud to bring them a world title, proud of everyone I hopefully made cry.”
“I didn’t think I’d cry, but I did,” Norris says. “It’s been a long journey. I’d like to thank my guys, my team, my parents,” he adds, choking up again. “No, I look like a loser!” He looks like a winner, says Coulthard.
“We did it, I’m so proud of everyone,” he adds with a clench of his fist. “[Oscar and Max] didn’t make my life easy this year … it’s been a long season.” On being investigated for the Tsunoda overtake, he says: “I had no idea! I was just trying to enjoy the moment.”
Carlos Sainz is also eager to embrace his former McLaren teammate, who is now talking to Sky’s David Coulthard …
Lando Norris is out of his car, and gets congratulatory hugs from Verstappen and Piastri. Then an emotional moment with his mum and dad, and finally some raucous celebrations with the McLaren pit crew.
Chants of “Lando” echo around the stands, and Piastri comes back over to hug Norris’s family and friends. F1 can feel cold and clinical sometimes, but this is undeniably heartwarming to watch. The kid who used to make Fernando Alonso’s tea is world champion!
Updated
“We can be really proud of our fightback,” says Verstappen. “I know you’re disappointed, but I’m not disappointed. We gave everything, I’m proud of everything we did.”
“Lando, is this the world champion hotline?” Zak Brown hollers over the McLaren team radio. Norris is in tears, thanking his team and his family. “Oh my god, we made history. I love you guys. You deserve it. I’m not crying.” He is.
Updated
Lando Norris is F1 world champion!
Verstappen crosses the line first to win the race, but his brilliant comeback has fallen just short as Norris secures third place, and the points needed to claim his first world title. Oscar Piastri is second on the night, but third overall. What a season, and what a moment for Lando Norris after a season full of twists, turns, pain and drama.
Updated
Lap 57 of 58: Verstappen will be the 11th pole-sitter in a row to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. I can’t imagine he cares much. Meanwhile, Ana de Armas is out trackside, ready to wave the chequered flag as Lando Norris’ family watch on. The moment has arrived …
Lap 56 of 58: Three more laps for Lando Norris to complete, and he’s 2.7s behind Piastri, who is struggling with his rear tyres. Further back, Lance Stroll bustles into the top 10, but will face an enquiry for an incident with Carlos Sainz.
Lap 55 of 58: On that Antonelli moment in Qatar, Zach Neeley points out: “Without moving up that spot, Norris would have to place second instead of third today – which Piastri would have allowed.”
Lap 54 of 58: Further down the field, a good day for Lewis Hamilton – still Britain’s most recent F1 world champion, for a few more laps. The Ferrari driver is in eighth place, having started 16th.
Lap 53 of 58: Norris is now closer to Piastri (3.5s) than Leclerc is to threatening his podium place. It looks like a done deal, barring spectacular late drama.
Lap 52 of 58: Verstappen, out in front but unable to do anything to change his destiny, has picked up two warnings for exceeding track limits.
Lap 51 of 58: “Looking good, Lando” is the message from the team radio, with “five or six racing laps” left to go. Norris now leads Leclerc by 4.8 seconds, while Russell is 20 seconds adrift of the Ferrari in fifth place.
Lap 50 of 58: Just to clarify once more – if Verstappen wins this race, which he surely will, Norris needs to finish in the top three. Here are the live standings; “those extra two points Norris gained by ‘overtaking’ Antonelli in Qatar could prove decisive,” notes Nimit Jain.
Live title standings:
1) Norris 423 (15pts today)
2) Verstappen 421 (25pts)
3) Piastri 410 (18pts)
Updated
Lap 49 of 58: Here is the top 10 as it stands. Lando Norris, in third place, is nine laps from the world title.
1) Verstappen 2) Piastri 3) Norris 4) Leclerc 5) Russell 6) Alonso 7) Ocon 8) Hamilton) 9) Bearman 10) Bortoleto
Lap 48 of 58: “Is Charles gaining on him?” asks a breathless Verstappen over the radio. The answer from Red Bull is essentially: a bit, but not enough. The gap between third and fourth is still around four seconds.
Lap 47 of 58: Alpine’s two drivers are now the back markers, and one of them – Pierre Gasly – has been hit by a five-second penalty. It’s a dismal final day in F1 for engine manufacturer Renault, who are dropping out next season.
Lap 46 of 58: Perhaps some relief in the McLaren garage as Norris picks up pace, before Piastri sets a new fastest lap – but Leclerc, in the horror villain role today, retakes that high mark to keep the pressure on.
Lap 45 of 58: On much fresher tyres, Piastri has been encouraged to chase down Verstappen for the race win – but if Leclerc keeps moving at this pace, Norris might need his assistance to keep hold of the title.
Live title standings:
1) Norris 423 (15pts today)
2) Verstappen 421 (25pts)
3) Piastri 410 (18pts)
Lap 44 of 58: It’s not done and dusted yet – Leclerc is motoring on his third set of tyres and quickly overtakes Russell. The Ferrari is moving faster than Norris, and trails by 4.5 seconds.
Updated
Lap 43 of 58: Piastri pits, McLaren’s likely final stop of the season is a clean one, and Piastri re-emerges in second place, just ahead of Norris. Verstappen is now out on his own, 25 seconds clear – he can take a full pit stop and still lead the race.
Lap 42 of 58: Norris pits cleanly and returns comfortably ahead of Leclerc – in fact, George Russell is sandwiched between the two drivers. It’s close to job done for Norris here.
Lap 41 of 58: Verstappen overtakes Piastri to retake the race lead, with the McLaren bound to surrender that lead when he pits anyway.
Lap 40 of 58: Norris pits for a second time – getting priority ahead of Piastri, who is now having to fight off Verstappen for the overall lead before he can make his first pit stop.
Lap 39 of 58: Some movement in the McLaren garage, but Piastri is still out there on his original tyres – and now, Leclerc is pitting for a second time!
Updated
Lap 38 of 58: “Tsunoda couldn’t do to Norris what Checo (Sergio Pérez) did to Hamilton in 2021,” notes Nimit Jain. Current back marker Albon is hit with a five-second penalty; ahead of him, Antonelli is out of the pits and trying to pick his way through the back markers.
Updated
Lap 37 of 58: There’s a strange, eerie calm around the circuit as it stands, with around five seconds between Piastri and Verstappen, Verstappen and Norris, and then Norris and Leclerc – but still plenty of time for more drama to unfold.
Lap 36 of 58: A bad day for Albon, who has been running at the back of the field and now gets a penalty for speeding in the pit lane. Piastri, 36 laps into his hard tyres, tells McLaren that the rear tyres are starting to lose grip.
Lap 35 of 58: Norris is being encouraged to conserve his tyres; McLaren expect Leclerc to pit again soon, and they reassure Norris they will adjust as needed. Tsunoda serves his pit penalty and is back out in 18th place.
Lap 34 of 58: Verstappen is moving at a fair whip, but is warned by Red Bull about reeling Piastri in – the Australian still leads by 10 seconds, although Verstappen is quick to cut into that deficit.
Updated
Lap 33 of 58: Beyond the eternal fear of a safety car, Norris might be feeling more comfortable now with Leclerc now more than four seconds behind.
Lap 32 of 58: “What penalty, bro?” exclaims Tsunoda, after slaloming like a skier in front of Norris. Oh, Yuki.
Lap 31 of 58: We’re past the halfway mark, and Verstappen sets a new fastest lap. Here’s the current top 10:
1) Piastri (yet to pit); 2) Verstappen 3) Norris 4) Leclerc 5) Russell 6) Tsunoda 7) Stroll (yet to pit) 8) Hamilton 9) Alonso 10) Bortoleto.
Lap 30 of 58: No further action against Norris – “clearly the right decision” says Zak Brown, who calls Tsunoda’s move “dangerous and unnecessary. This is a team sport, but Yuki went over the line.” Perhaps crucially, Norris didn’t – keeping two wheels inside the paint as he shot past the Red Bull.
Lap 29 of 58: As Piastri continues to lead by 15 seconds, on his first set of tyres, Tsunoda is hit with a five-second penalty. Norris not in the clear yet, but it looks good for McLaren …
“Meanwhile, there’s the little drama being played out in Lewis Hamilton’s head: ‘Is this my last race?’” writes Bill Taylor. “There has to be get-out clause in his contract, and he must surely be tempted.”
I would be surprised, even after such a dreadful first season at Ferrari – he still has something to prove. Today, he’s climbed to eighth after starting on medium tyres.
Lap 28 of 58: Still yet to pit are Piastri, Tsunoda, Stroll and Antonelli. Norris has just set a new fastest lap, but Leclerc is still within two seconds of the world champion in waiting …
Lap 27 of 58: As it stands, Norris will win the title – and while we can expect Verstappen to retake the lead, that won’t be enough as long as Norris stays in the top three.
Live title standings:
1) Norris 423 (15pts today)
2) Piastri 417 (25pts)
3) Verstappen 414 (18pts)
Lap 26 of 58: Tsunoda and Norris are both being investigated for that overtake incident; any kind of penalty would be very harsh on the McLaren man, as Tsunoda was weaving every which way.
Lap 25 of 58: Piastri, yet to pit, leads Verstappen by 18.5 seconds while Verstappen is able to return a good five seconds in front of Norris. Leclerc is 2.5s behind Norris, who is holding on to the podium place he needs.
Lap 24 of 58: Verstappen pits and Piastri is the new race leader. He’s on his original hard tyres, and is encouraged to push them to the limit in order to put the defending champ under pressure.
Lap 23 of 58: Norris has to move fast and overtakes a ducking and weaving Tsunoda down the inside, with at least two wheels leaving the track and a few sparks flying. Will that be looked at again, or did Tsunoda force Norris to go wide?
Updated
Lap 22 of 58: Verstappen is the only driver out there not on hard tyres, still on his original mediums. He leads Piastri by two seconds, with a coasting Tsunoda 24 seconds further back.
Updated
Lap 21: Tsunoda’s results in the second Red Bull have been abject, and he’s being replaced by Isack Hadjar for next season – but there’s a final chance for him to deliver here, as his team urge him to hold Norris off for as long as he can.
Updated
Lap 20: Leclerc is also picking his way through the field and is closing back in on Norris. He’s not the man McLaren would have feared before the race, but Leclerc is making life so difficult for them.
Lap 19 of 58: Norris gets beyond former teammate Sainz, and then shimmies past Stroll and Lawson in short order. Norris back up to fourth as Ocon pits – the man ahead of him: Yuki Tsunoda …
Lap 18 of 58: Norris quickly gets beyond Antonelli, and opens some distance ahead of Leclerc. The Ferrari man will be investigated for moving in front of a braking Russell, who voices his frustration over the Mercedes team radio.
Lap 17 of 58: Like Norris, Leclerc pits to try and cover off Russell’s early move. Piastri is told to stick with Plan A – taking his hard tyres as far as he can. The Australian says that’s “doable for now”.
Lap 16 of 58: Norris pits – and returns at the back of a DRS train behind Antonelli, Sainz and Stroll. This is the last F1 race to feature DRS (for now, anyway) – and it might play a big part.
Lap 15 of 58: Russell comes in to the pits in an effort to undercut Leclerc and move up to his starting position of fourth. Here’s how the top 10 stands before the first raft of pit stops:
1) Verstappen 2) Piastri 3) Norris 4) Leclerc 5) Russell 6) Alonso 7) Bortoleto 8) Hadjar 9) Ocon 10) Tsunoda
Lap 14 of 58: Lawson is hit with a five-second penalty for “driving erratically” as he overtook Bearman for 11th place.
Lap 13 of 58: Norris is now concerned that his tyres are graining at a rate. Pit-stop strategy could still play a big part in this race; the good news for the title chaser is that Leclerc has eased off behind him, the gap now around 1.8 seconds.
Updated
Lap 12 of 58: Zak Brown tells Sky he wasn’t surprised by Piastri overtaking Norris on the first lap. It’s not the worst position for McLaren, with Piastri able to go after Verstappen more aggressively – but Norris’ move to cut his teammate off into turn one tells us it wasn’t necessarily part of the plan.
Lap 11 of 58: McLaren tell Norris that they suspect Verstappen’s tyres are graining, which is some welcome good news.
Live title standings:
1) Norris 423 (15pts today)
2) Verstappen 421 (25pts)
3) Piastri 410 (18pts)
Lap 10 of 58: An incident in midfield between Bearman and Liam Lawson is under investigation; no further action against Hamilton for that earlier tussle with Alex Albon.
Lap 9 of 58: Two drivers on soft tyres, Hulkenberg and Hamilton, have both pitted already. Verstappen still leads Piastri by 2.1 seconds, and has set the fastest lap – although there’s no bonus point for that this season.
Lap 8 of 58: Piastri is encouraged to push Verstappen harder, which would in turn clear the air ahead of Norris, still under pressure from Leclerc. It’s tense out there.
Lap 7 of 58: McLaren encourage Norris to use his tyres to make things a bit easier. As it stands, the Briton will still be world champion – but if he drops to fourth, Verstappen overtakes him in the live standings.
Lap 6 of 58: Russell recovers to get back in front of Alonso, and sits fifth behind Leclerc. Here’s the top 10 as it stands:
Top 10: 1) Verstappen 2) Piastri 3) Norris 4) Leclerc 5) Russell 6) Alonso 7) Bortoleto 8) Hadjar 9) Ocon 10) Tsunoda
Lap 5 of 58: Norris has enough to worry about with Leclerc firmly in his rear-view mirror. McLaren tell him this is “Plan A – if you’re comfortable” – comfortable might be pushing it.
Updated
Lap 4 of 58: No sign of Verstappen trying to back up and put pressure on the McLarens yet – he’s carved out a two-second lead over Piastri, setting the fastest lap.
Lap 3 of 58: George Russell is reporting some brake issues with his Mercedes – he’s down in sixth, in front of Bortoleto, Hadjar, Ocon and Tsunoda, who make up the top 10.
Lap 2 of 58: A troubling start for Norris, down to third and under a little pressure from the Ferrari of Leclerc behind him. Hamilton is up to 13th on soft tyres, but faces an enquiry for leaving the track to gain an advantage.
Updated
Lap 1 of 58: Piastri overtakes Norris! Alonso steals a march on Leclerc and Russell, jumping up to fourth before the Ferrari man hits back – while ahead of them, Piastri gets around the outside of Norris! He’s up to second, and can put pressure on Verstappen here …
Updated
Here we go!
Verstappen immediately moves over to cover Norris, leaving a potential gap for Piastri – but Norris protects second place down the outside, and the top three stay in the same order out of turn one …
Updated
The drivers are out for their formation lap. Verstappen and Norris are starting on medium tyres, Piastri on hard tyres. The last 10 F1 races in Abu Dhabi have been won by the driver on pole; eight of the last 10 drivers to start in second place have made the podium, which is all Norris needs to do.
Five minutes to lights out in Abu Dhabi. Fasten your seatbelts …
McLaren’s Zak Brown: “I’m feeling good, I’m excited. It’s business as usual – easier said than done – but we won here last year, and we’ve got two great drivers. I might have something different in my drinks bottle! We’ve got a couple of different strategies. But it depends on the first lap, what Max does.” He also confirms the team orders mentioned below in an impressively forensic grilling from Nico Rosberg.
Max Verstappen: “I slept good. Just ready to go. The plan is to win the race and rely on a bit of luck.” Can Yuki Tsunoda help? “We’ll try everything as a team, actually.”
As the three title contenders line up with the trophy, I wonder how Lando Norris is feeling. The nerves must be jangling – probably not helped by the roar of an Emirates jumbo jet swooping overhead. The Briton did win from pole here last year – helped by Verstappen misjudging an early move and colliding with Piastri.
No live chats with the drivers, with an official presentation due at 12.45pm (GMT). Brunds does duck past Gordon Ramsay and Terry Crews to get a quick word with Haas driver Ollie Bearman, who says it’s windier than expected on the track today.
Sky’s Martin Brundle is down at the starting grid, a heaving throng of celebrities, dignitaries and stressed out engineers. Brunds has already been snubbed by Ana de Armas, chatted to the crown prince of Bahrain and bustled into a coterie of sporting stars: Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho and Jannik Sinner. The tennis star is backing Lando Norris to get the job done, but “you never know on a day like this.”
Updated
Does Oscar Piastri understand his role today? “Yes, I do know.” And what if his own title ambitions? “There is still the belief, still the hope, but I need a few things to happen. It wouldn’t be the first time in F1 history that things have happened. I’ll try and make sure I’m the right spot at the right time and go ahead and try to win the race. That’s all I can do.
A quick reminder of who needs what at Yas Marina today:
Lando Norris holds a 12-point lead and will be world champion if he finishes in the top three in today’s finale.
Max Verstappen is in second place and starts on pole; he realistically has to win the race and hope Norris falls out of the podium spots.
Oscar Piastri, is four points behind Verstappen; the Australian needs to win the race and for Norris to finish outside the top five.
There are approximately a million other possibilities, to be perused here.
Updated
Throughout this season, McLaren have declined to back either Norris or Piastri as their main title contender, instead encouraging fair racing between the two drivers. It has made for some thrilling battles – but the fabled “papaya rules” will be remembered as a colossal failure if Verstappen snatches the title for Red Bull today.
Today could be different, with McLaren chief Zak Brown confirming that team orders will come into play if required. “We’re realistic, we want to win this drivers’ championship. If we get into the race and it’s becoming pretty clear one has a chance and the other doesn’t, we’re going to do what we can to win. It would be crazy not to.”
Team principal Andrea Stella has backed that message today, telling Sky Sports: “the team comes first”. I wonder how Piastri, the championship leader for so long, really feels about that.
Updated
Max Verstappen starts on pole and the defending champion won’t be holding back. “All out, I have nothing to lose,” he said after qualifying. “For me, of course, I’m going to try to win the race. I’m going to defend. If I need to attack, I’ll attack because what can happen? You’re either second or third or you win. That would be fantastic.”
As for Norris, he’ll be world champion as long as he finishes in the top three, regardless of what Verstappen does. “I’m not too bothered to be the hunter or the hunted,” he said. “To be hunted is fine because you’re the one with the advantage in the first place. That’s good. And, of course, I would sign for that now. I’m still going to go into tomorrow and plan for how we can win the race.”
The season so far: part four
Tensions grow in the McLaren paddock, and Norris emerges as the driver most likely to hold off Verstappen’s late charge … before high drama in Vegas
Singapore: Title fight boils over A weekend of anger at Marina Bay, with Verstappen accusing Norris of impeding him in qualifying. Russell wins the race from pole but behind him, Norris’ bold early move riles Piastri to spoil McLaren’s constructor title party.
United States: Max pressure Verstappen dominates in Texas to move within 40 points of Piastri, who stumbles to fifth place. Norris wins a battle with Charles Leclerc for second place and moves 12 points behind his teammate in a three-way title race.
Mexico City: Norris takes the lead For the first time since April, Piastri is off the top of the drivers’ standings as Norris overtakes him by a point. The Briton wins from pole in Mexico with Leclerc second, Verstappen third and the fading Piastri finishing fifth again.
São Paulo: Lando’s title to lose? Norris wins from pole again to open a 24-point lead over his teammate, who is fifth for the third race in succession. Verstappen grabs the headlines, though, with a charge from 19th on the grid to finish third behind Kimi Antonelli.
Las Vegas: McLaren’s desert disaster Verstappen romps to victory in Vegas with Norris second and Piastri fourth; but after the chequered flag, both McLarens are disqualified due to skid-block wear. Verstappen moves level with Piastri and 24 behind Norris in the title race.
Qatar: Norris title on ice Piastri takes the sprint race and pole position but Verstappen wins the race after McLaren make a costly pit-stop error. Piastri is second but Norris can only finish fourth, failing to seal the drivers’ title but holding a 12-point lead before the final race.
Roll of honour
A first world title for Lando Norris would break the eight-year run of Hamilton/Verstappen titles, and deliver McLaren’s first drivers’ crown since 2008, when Norris was nine years old. He would also become the 11th British F1 world champion.
If Verstappen wins, he will be the first man to win five titles in a row since the great Michael Schumacher – and move joint-second alongside Juan Manuel Fangio in the all-time standings, behind only Hamilton and Schumacher.
As for Oscar Piastri, he is bidding to become the third F1 world champion from Australia – and the first since Alan Jones in 1980. Either he or Norris would also be among the 10 youngest world champions – a list topped by 23-year-old Sebastian Vettel in 2010.
World champions since 2000:
2000: Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari
2001: Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari
2002: Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari
2003: Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari
2004: Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari
2005: Fernando Alonso (Sp) Renault
2006: Fernando Alonso (Sp) Renault
2007: Kimi Räikkönen (Fin) Ferrari
2008: Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren
2009: Jenson Button (GB) Brawn
2010: Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull
2011: Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull
2012: Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull
2013: Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull
2014: Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes
2015: Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes
2016: Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes
2017: Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes
2018: Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes
2019: Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes
2020: Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes
2021: Max Verstappen (Neth) Red Bull
2022: Max Verstappen (Neth) Red Bull
2023: Max Verstappen (Neth) Red Bull
2024: Max Verstappen (Neth) Red Bull
The season so far: part three
Christian Horner leaves Red Bull and while the title looks to be Piastri’s to lose, a Verstappen double gives the defending champion hope …
Belgium: A new era at Red Bull In the first race after Christian Horner’s departure, Verstappen cannot match the McLarens in a rain-delayed showdown at Spa. Piastri overtakes pole-sitter Norris early on and cruises to his sixth victory of the season.
Hungary: A two-horse title race? In the last race before the mid-season break, a one-stop strategy pays off for Norris, who holds off Piastri in a late battle. Piastri leads the title race by nine points; Verstappen finishes ninth and drops 97 points behind.
Netherlands: Lando’s body blow Chasing pole-sitter Piastri for the race win, Norris is denied by a rare malfunction that hands his teammate a huge boost in the title battle. Verstappen is second in front of his home faithful, while Hamilton also crashes out.
Italy: Tension at McLaren Verstappen’s third GP win of the season – and second in Italy – is almost an afterthought at Monza. Piastri has to surrender second to Norris after a pit-stop calamity, putting intense focus on McLaren’s management of the title race.
Azerbaijan: Baku in the race? Verstappen claims a clinical pole in a windswept, red-flag hit qualifying session, and wins the main race after a rare Piastri error. With his teammate out on the first lap, Norris cannot take advantage as he struggles to seventh place.
While you’re here, why not sign up for The Recap – our weekly newsletter packed with the Guardian’s best sport features, delivered every Sunday? And if sporting photography is your thing, our new Sport in Focus email is essential viewing.
The season so far: part two
The summer swing through Europe (and Canada) saw McLaren in dominant form …
Emila Romagna: Roles reversed at Imola Piastri starts on pole but Verstappen finds a moment of magic to overtake on the first lap and claim a crucial victory in the first European race of the season. Norris is second, Piastri third and Hamilton fourth.
Monaco: Norris cleans up Seeking his first race win since the opening weekend, Lando Norris claims pole in Monaco and holds off Charles Leclerc for his first grand prix win on the famous street circuit – and trails Piastri by just three points in the title race.
Spain: Verstappen loses his cool Piastri leads a McLaren one-two from pole and frustration gets the better of Verstappen. The Dutchman clatters into George Russell’s Mercedes late in the race and is hit with a penalty that leaves him in 10th place.
Canada: Russell wins, McLarens collide Russell holds off Verstappen to win from pole and gain revenge for Barcelona, while Norris takes responsibility for a late collision with Piastri that ends the Briton’s race. Kimi Antonelli completes a papaya-free podium.
Austria: Red Bull’s home discomfort A rough weekend for Verstappen, who labels his car ‘undriveable’ after qualifying, then crashes out on the first lap. Norris wins from pole but is pushed to the limit by Piastri, who apologises for a risky attempted overtake at turn four.
Britain: Mixed emotions for McLarens Norris savours his first home F1 victory but Piastri is left furious after a 10-second penalty for braking in front of Verstappen. The champion starts on pole but ends up fifth; hopes of retaining his title look bleak at the halfway mark.
“I remember the first year when Verstappen won, a lot of anger was aimed at him – including BTL here,” writes Simone Kamp. The gist was that his car was the reason he had won and that he was arrogant. I hope people now have a better idea of who he is and of his qualities as a driver.”
“As for today, he can only win really, he has nothing to lose; while Norris has everything to lose and is, at times, his own worst enemy. May the best man win.”
The 2025 season so far: part one
Each of the three title contenders have won seven grands prix so far in an enthralling season. Here’s how it all unfolded, starting at Albert Park in March.
Australia: Norris strikes first McLaren live up to their pre-season billing with a dominant performance in Melbourne as Lando Norris storms to victory in the rain. Teammate Oscar Piastri pushes him all the way before spinning late on, finishing ninth in his hometown race.
China: Piastri on the board Lewis Hamilton wins the sprint race in Shanghai, but the weekend ends with both Ferraris disqualified after the main event. Piastri wins from pole with Norris second, setting up a potential title race between the two flying McLarens.
Japan: Verstappen hits back With his Red Bull future still uncertain, defending champion Max Verstappen wins his fourth straight race at Suzuka from pole. Running in third behind Norris, Piastri’s request to overtake his teammate and challenge Verstappen is denied.
Bahrain: Oscar’s winning performance Piastri delivers another nerveless victory from pole at Sakhir, with Mercedes’ George Russell in second. In a scrappy race behind them, Norris is third with Verstappen toiling in sixth place.
Saudi Arabia: Norris under threat After a crash in qualifying, Norris can only finish fourth in Jeddah while his Australian teammate claims a third victory in five races. Piastri takes the lead in the title race after denying pole-sitter Verstappen, who suffers an early penalty.
Miami: Piastri takes charge Again, Verstappen starts on pole but is usurped by the dominant Piastri, who opens a 32-point lead over the champion. Norris is hampered by an early clash with Verstappen but ends up second as McLaren outpace their rivals.
Dave Estherby points out another potential title pathway: “Verstappen can also become world champion by ramming Norris off the road.”
As mentioned below, Lewis Hamilton has been involved in his fair share of big F1 finales, but the seven-times world champion could scarcely be further from the title battle today. Hamilton ends a hugely disappointing first campaign with Ferrari 16th on the grid, after a third straight elimination in the first round of qualifying.
“I don’t have the words to describe the feeling that I have inside,” said Hamilton on Saturday. “An unbearable amount of anger and rage. There is not really much I can say about it.” The Briton’s latest setback in qualifying came after he crashed out of final practice, finishing 11 places behind teammate Charles Leclerc despite quick repairs.
Hamilton has not made the podium this season and has been out-qualified by Leclerc 19 times out of 24. Asked if he had an action plan in place to improve his dire run, he said: “Not at the moment, no. I don’t have any plans for anything.”
F1's recent final-day title battles
2007: Räikkönen wins three-way race
Despite ending up beached on his way to the pits at the previous race in China, rookie Lewis Hamilton arrived in Brazil with a four-point lead over McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso, and seven clear of Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen. A gearbox glitch put Hamilton in deep trouble at Interlagos, and while he recovered to finish seventh, Räikkönen won the race and the title by a point with Alonso third in São Paulo.
Final standings: Räikkönen 110, Hamilton 109, Alonso 109.
2008: Hamilton’s redemption in Brazil
Hamilton was on the brink of failure at Interlagos for a second consecutive year when championship rival Felipe Massa won for Ferrari. But, in rain-hit conditions, Hamilton passed Toyota’s Timo Glock at the final corner to finish fifth, beating Massa to the title by a single point. The Brazilian continues to pursue legal action over missing out on the title due to the ‘Crashgate’ controversy at the Singapore GP. Hamilton 98, Massa 97.
2010: Vettel snatches the crown
Now at Ferrari, Alonso headed to Abu Dhabi eight points ahead of Red Bull’s Mark Webber. The Australian’s teammate, Sebastian Vettel, was a rank outsider, 15 points off the pace. But Vettel won from pole position, and Ferrari’s calamitous strategy left Alonso stuck in seventh when the chequered flag fell. Webber finished eighth and Vettel began a streak of four consecutive world titles. Vettel 256, Alonso 252, Webber 242.
2012: More heartbreak for Alonso
Vettel’s hopes of a third straight title appeared all but over after an early tangle with Bruno Senna in Brazil, with Alonso poised to claim his third championship. The German fought back from last place to finish sixth in a rollercoaster race. Alonso finished second behind Jenson Button, missing out on the title by three points. Vettel 281, Alonso 278.
2014: Hamilton’s double delight
Double points were awarded for the first and only time at the season’s final race in Abu Dhabi as Hamilton and Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg fought for glory. Rosberg took pole but the Briton got ahead at the first bend and romped to glory. Rosberg then suffered engine problems and ended the race in 14th place. Hamilton 384, Rosberg 317.
2016: Rosberg’s revenge
The Mercedes men battled it out again two years later at Yas Marina, but this time the German held the upper hand. Hamilton had to win and hope Rosberg finished fourth or lower; he controlled the race but Rosberg stayed clear of the pack and crossed the line in second to take the title – before retiring five days later. Rosberg 385, Hamilton 380.
2021: Verstappen’s first title
In a winner-takes-all shootout between Hamilton and Max Verstappen, who started level on points, the challenger started on pole but Hamilton cleared his rival on the first lap. A record eighth title beckoned for Hamilton but a late safety car changed the course of history. The race director, Michael Masi, allowed all the lapped cars through, leaving Hamilton exposed to Verstappen on new tyres for one final lap. Verstappen blasted past Hamilton at the fifth corner to win the race and the title in one of F1’s most dramatic and controversial moments. Verstappen 395.5, Hamilton 387.5. PA Media
Abu Dhabi GP: the grid
1 Max Verstappen (Neth) Red Bull
2 Lando Norris (GB) McLaren
3 Oscar Piastri (Aus) McLaren
4 George Russell (GB) Mercedes
5 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari
6 Fernando Alonso (Sp) Aston Martin
7 Gabriel Bortoleto (Bra) Kick Sauber
8 Esteban Ocon (Fr) Haas
9 Isack Hadjar (Fr) RacingBulls
10 Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Red Bull
11 Oliver Bearman (GB) Haas
12 Carlos Sainz (Sp) Williams
13 Liam Lawson (NZ) RacingBulls
14 Kimi Antonelli (It) Mercedes
15 Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin
16 Lewis Hamilton (GB) Ferrari
17 Alexander Albon (Thai) Williams
18 Nico Hülkenberg (Ger) Kick Sauber
19 Pierre Gasly (Fr) Alpine
20 Franco Colapinto (Arg) Alpine
Title permutations
Let’s try and keep this simple. Lando Norris leads the title race by 12 points, and will be world champion if he finishes in the top three today, regardless of what his rivals do. If the Briton drops out of the podium places, Verstappen can take the title by winning the race from pole.
Piastri has to win the race and hope Norris ends up outside the top six; if the title-race leader crashes out, things get even more complicated. There are more detailed permutations here, and this nifty (if unofficial) tool lets you play out the possibilities.
Points on offer: Winner 25pts, second place 18pts, third place 15pts;
Fourth 12pts, 5th 10pts, 6th 8pts, 7th 6pts, 8th 4pts, 9th 2pts, 10th 1pt.
Qualifying report
Here’s how Max Verstappen claimed pole for today’s race, with Lando Norris edging out teammate Oscar Piastri for a place on the front row. George Russell, an entertaining cameo player in this season’s three-horse race, sits alongside Piastri in fourth.
Preamble
After 23 races and thousands of track miles, this season’s extraordinary title race will be settled today after year of twists, turns and drama across the globe. It’s the first three-way title finale in F1 since 2010 and however it plays out, it will surely be historic.
Lando Norris is in the box seat to claim his first world title, and McLaren’s first drivers’ championship since 2008. For most of the season, teammate Oscar Piastri looked like his only competition – but Max “Chucky” Verstappen has refused to surrender his title.
From more than 100 points behind Piastri, Verstappen has clawed his way back to second place, four points above the Australian and 12 behind Norris. McLaren look worn down by the pressure, their efforts to preserve a fair title race opening the door for Red Bull.
Verstappen starts on pole here in a classic champion v challenger showdown, chasing a fifth world title in a row. Norris joins him on the front row as he bids to fulfil his destiny, while long-time leader Piastri also has faint hope of snatching back the title.
In short, it’s on. The race begins at 1pm (GMT) but we’ll have all the permutations, build-up and season highlights right here.
