Lando Norris has capped a landmark season by securing his first Formula 1 world title, sealing the 2025 championship with a composed third-place finish in Abu Dhabi.
An emotional Norris stood sobbing on the podium at Yas Marina after a year marked by intense pressure, late-season drama and one of the closest title fights in recent years.
His podium was enough to clinch the championship by just two points over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, ending the Dutchman’s four-year grip on the crown.
Norris' triumph reflected a steady rise in the sport. Since debuting with McLaren as a teenager in 2019, the Briton remained loyal throughout the team’s long rebuild from a midfield team to the frontrunners they are today.
Norris entered Formula 1 with strong credentials, winning the Formula 3 title as a rookie and finishing runner-up in Formula 2 before stepping into McLaren’s race seat at age 19. His early with the team seasons were marked by flashes of brilliance and podiums at a time where McLaren were much less competitive.
A true title challenge began to take shape last year. After taking his maiden Grand Prix victory in Miami in 2024, Norris became one of the first consistent challengers to Verstappen since the Hamilton–Verstappen era.
Verstappen ultimately secured the 2024 title, but Norris’ late-season momentum established him as a leading contender heading into 2025.
This year, Norris delivered the most complete campaign of his career. He stormed out of the blocks, winning the season opener in Australia and controlling much of the early championship fight.
A mid-season dip, coinciding with teammate Oscar Piastri’s surge to the top of the standings, briefly put his hopes under pressure, but Norris bounced back with a dominant second half of the year.
He appeared on track to seal the title earlier until a double disqualification for both McLaren drivers at the Las Vegas Grand Prix halted his momentum.
Another setback followed in Qatar, where a McLaren strategy miscalculation cost him a likely win and forced the championship to go down to the wire.
In Abu Dhabi, Norris delivered when it mattered. Third place was all he needed to clinch the title, and third place was exactly what he held, under pressure until the chequered flag.
His victory ended a 17-year wait for McLaren’s first drivers’ champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
"Oh God. I’ve not cried in a while. It’s been a long journey. First of all, I want to say a big thanks to my team, and to my parents," a teary-eyed Norris said moments after the race.
"I now know what Max feels like a little bit. I want to congratulate him and Oscar, too."
Norris becomes the third British world champion of the past three decades, joining Hamilton and Jenson Button on the list of modern-era title winners.
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