Lando Norris broke down in tears of joy and relief after winning his first Formula One World Championship, ending Max Verstappen’s four-year dominance with a tense third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Red Bull’s Verstappen, despite claiming victory in the season finale and achieving the most wins of the year with eight, fell short in points as Norris secured the championship with 423 points. Verstappen finished on 421, with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri third at 410 points.
The victory marked a historic moment for McLaren, who had already clinched the constructors’ championship in October. Winning both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles in the same season was a feat McLaren last achieved in 1998. Norris, Britain’s 11th Formula One world champion, admitted he was overcome with emotion. “I’ve not cried in a while. I didn’t think I would cry but I did. It feels amazing. I now know what Max feels like a little bit,” he said after the race, visibly moved even inside his helmet.
He paid tribute to his closest rivals, Verstappen and Piastri, calling the season-long battle a learning experience. The sportsmanship was evident as Norris’s mother, Cisca, gave Piastri a consoling hug, while Verstappen and Piastri congratulated Norris on his milestone achievement.
Verstappen’s loss denied him a historic fifth consecutive title, a record only matched by Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher. The Abu Dhabi race saw Charles Leclerc finish fourth for Ferrari, followed by George Russell in fifth for Mercedes, and Fernando Alonso sixth for Aston Martin. Esteban Ocon secured seventh for Haas, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton finishing eighth in a career-low season after joining Ferrari from Mercedes. Nico Hulkenberg placed ninth in his 250th Grand Prix, while Lance Stroll rounded out the top ten for Aston Martin.
Norris’s triumph not only ended Verstappen’s streak but also highlighted McLaren’s resurgence, cementing their status as a dominant force in Formula One once again.
