McLaren's Lando Norris has won his first Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship, ending Max Verstappen's four-year reign with a strategic podium finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The British driver secured the title by finishing third in a tense, season-ending showdown at the Yas Marina Circuit, a result that proved just enough to hold off his Red Bull Racing rival in the final standings.
Championship Mathematics
The 2025 F1 season reached its dramatic climax at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, where the season-long battle for supremacy was decided. The Drivers' Championship was secured by the narrowest margin in recent memory: Lando Norris took the title with 423 points, finishing just two points ahead of Max Verstappen's final tally of 421
Entering the weekend, Norris held a 12‑point lead over Verstappen. This meant that if Verstappen won the race (earning 25 points), Norris needed to finish at least third (earning 15 points) to secure the championship. Any finish lower than the podium would have handed the title to the Dutchman, setting the stage for a high‑stakes strategic battle.
Drink it in, champ 🍾#F1 #AbuDhabiGP @McLarenF1 pic.twitter.com/MqdyEELKQM
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 7, 2025
The Final Lap: Ultimate Showdown Closes the 2025 F1 Race
Norris, needing a podium finish to guarantee the championship, started the race from P2 on the grid. Pole-sitter Max Verstappen led the two McLaren drivers into the first corner. His teammate and fellow contender Oscar Piastri lined up third.
Verstappen held the lead, but the position shifted instantly when Piastri executed a bold overtake on Norris to move into second place. Still, the demotion to P3 lane placed Norris under the minimum requirement for the title. Now racing third, Norris faced the challenge of defending his position from other drivers behind him—Charles Leclerc and George Russell—while managing his car and tyres for the long, gruelling race.
C A R L A N D O ! 💙🧡#F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/WqwQCjlgS3
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 7, 2025
Driver Champ Under Fire — Why Norris Is Criticised
The most heart-stopping moment at the 2025 Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix was when Norris encountered Yuki Tsunoda, who was allegedly instructed by Red Bull to hold up the title contender. In a tense wheel-to-wheel exchange, Norris was forced wide as he passed the Japanese driver.
This incident was probed by race stewards, checking on Tsunoda's weaving and Norris's off-track outing, which briefly put the title in jeopardy. As a result, Tsunoda was handed a five-second penalty for making more than one defensive move, clearing Norris and allowing him to settle into the crucial third position, which he managed to hold until reaching the chequered flag.
Lando's crowning moment 👑 #F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/gprvQEdFFw
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 7, 2025
'Won It My Way'
The intense scrutiny of Norris's driving style has been a recurring theme throughout his championship season. He has navigated a challenging atmosphere throughout his racing career, often with hostile crowds booing him.
Norris addressed the criticisms during a solo press conference following his victory lap. He acknowledged that he might have opted for greater aggression in some on-track battles but the 26-year-old British driver expressed deep satisfaction, stating he was proud that he won the championship while remaining entirely 'true to himself.'
'That's one of the things that makes me most proud. I feel like I've just managed to win it the way I wanted to win it, which was not by being someone I'm not, like trying to be as aggressive as Max, or as forceful as all the champions might have been in the past, whatever it may be,' Norris said. 'I'm happy. I just won it my way. I'm happy I could go out and be myself and win it "Lando's way".'
He added. 'At the beginning, could I have gone out and been more of that person you probably want me to be, but I would have been less proud about it in some ways. I believe I've won the championship this year my way by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver.'
