McLaren Wins Constructors' Crown as Norris Secures First Drivers' Title

Lando Norris secured his first Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship, leading McLaren to a historic double by also claiming the Constructors' title in a dominant 2025 season. The team had already clinched the team championship at the Singapore Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen winning the Abu Dhabi finale from pole ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri and the newly crowned champion Norris.

Why it matters:

McLaren's double championship victory marks a stunning return to the pinnacle of Formula 1, ending years of rebuilding and establishing a new benchmark for the team. For Norris, it culminates a journey from promising talent to world champion, finally converting his potential into the sport's ultimate prize and breaking the stranglehold of recent champions.

The details:

• McLaren's Constructors' title was secured with races to spare in Singapore, demonstrating their season-long car performance and operational consistency.
• The battle for second in the Constructors' standings was fiercely contested, with Mercedes ultimately prevailing over Red Bull and Ferrari.
• Mercedes' Resilience: The Silver Arrows secured second place, a significant achievement in a transitional year, outperforming their direct rivals through strategic consistency and driver points accumulation.
• Red Bull's Reliance: Max Verstappen's relentless point-scoring, including the Abu Dhabi win, was crucial in dragging Red Bull to third place, as teammates Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda struggled for consistent results.
• Ferrari's Frustration: The Scuderia endured its first winless season since 2020, finishing a distant fourth in the championship, highlighting a significant performance gap to the top teams that must be addressed.

By the numbers:

The final 2025 Constructors' Championship standings after Abu Dhabi:

• 1. McLaren – 833 points
• 2. Mercedes – 469 points
• 3. Red Bull – 451 points
• 4. Ferrari – 398 points
• 5. Williams – 137 points
• 6. Racing Bulls – 92 points
• 7. Aston Martin – 89 points
• 8. Haas – 81 points
• 9. Sauber – 68 points
• 10. Alpine – 22 points

The massive 364-point gap between McLaren and Mercedes underscores the scale of the Woking team's dominance this season.

The big picture:

McLaren's double represents one of the most complete team performances in recent F1 history, combining a fast and reliable car with strong strategy and two drivers operating at a high level. It sets a new benchmark and resets the competitive order heading into the 2026 regulation changes. For rivals like Mercedes, Red Bull, and particularly Ferrari, the offseason will be a period of intense analysis to understand and close the performance deficit.