Verstappen Congratulates Norris on Maiden F1 Title After Abu Dhabi Finale

Lando Norris clinched his maiden Formula 1 world championship with a third-place finish at Yas Marina Circuit, edging out Max Verstappen by two points despite the Dutch driver winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen, who finished the season with eight victories to Norris' seven, acknowledged McLaren's achievement while expressing satisfaction with Red Bull's dramatic second-half resurgence.

Why it matters:

This marks McLaren's first drivers' championship since Lewis Hamilton's 2008 title, ending a 17-year drought for the historic team. Verstappen's near-miss - overcoming a 104-point deficit to lose by the smallest margin since 1984 - underscores both Red Bull's engineering prowess and the razor-thin margins defining modern F1. The result validates Norris' consistency while highlighting how championship outcomes can pivot on early-season reliability rather than raw speed.

The Details:

• Norris secured the title with 432 points to Verstappen's 421, becoming the first non-Red Bull or Mercedes driver to win since 2016.
• Verstappen's Abu Dhabi victory - his eighth of 2025 - came 12 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri, but couldn't overcome McLaren's strategic consistency in earlier races.
• Mid-season turnaround: After trailing Norris by 104 points following the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen and Red Bull engineered F1's second-greatest championship comeback in history, winning seven of the final ten races.
• Verstappen's perspective: "I'm standing here feeling really good because we did everything we could," he told Viaplay. "The first half was too inconsistent, but the second half showed what we're capable of."
• Championship math: Norris needed only third place to secure the title, while Verstappen required both a win and Norris finishing fourth or lower - a scenario that didn't materialize despite the Dutch driver's dominant performance.

What's next:

Verstappen's post-race comments suggest Red Bull will channel this near-miss into 2026 development, particularly targeting early-season reliability. His advice to Norris - "You don't know how often it will happen again, so enjoy it" - carries weight from someone who's experienced both championship elation and defeat.

• The result intensifies pressure on Mercedes and Ferrari to close the performance gap, with both teams finishing 80+ points behind the top two contenders.
• Norris' championship could reshape McLaren's 2026 negotiations, potentially securing key technical staff and sponsor commitments ahead of the next regulation cycle.
• Verstappen confirmed his focus has already shifted: "I'm happy this generation of cars is over. Now we build for what comes next." With four titles already secured, the Dutch driver's ability to bounce back from this narrow loss may define his legacy as much as his victories.