Lando Norris clinched his maiden Formula 1 world championship by a razor-thin 2-point margin over Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi, ending Red Bull and Mercedes' 15-year stranglehold on the title. The victory marks McLaren's first drivers' crown since 2008 and establishes Norris as F1's 35th world champion through consistent excellence rather than aggression.
Lando Norris secures his maiden F1 world championship by a 2-point margin after Max Verstappen's car erupts in flames on the final lap of Abu Dhabi GP, ending McLaren's 26-year title drought and delivering a dramatic conclusion to the 2024 season.
Verstappen rebuffed a journalist's focus on his Spain incident, stressing pride in Red Bull's 2025 comeback despite narrowly missing the title. Highlighted eight wins and 10-race podium streak as proof of strong campaign amid two-point deficit to Norris.
Lando Norris secured his maiden Formula 1 World Championship with a podium finish in Abu Dhabi, overcoming early-season setbacks and intense pressure from Verstappen and Piastri. The victory ends McLaren's 17-year drivers' title drought and validates their dual-champion strategy.
Lando Norris credits a critical mental reset after trailing Oscar Piastri mid-season for securing his maiden F1 title. The McLaren driver reveals how off-track resilience work closed performance gaps, transforming his approach to pressure during the championship-deciding stretch.
After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen greeted Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli with a friendly handshake, offering a rare moment of support amid a wave of online abuse that followed Antonelli’s Qatar mistake.
Max Verstappen deliberately avoided disrupting McLaren's title bid during Abu Dhabi's championship finale despite having opportunities, citing track layout changes and McLaren's split tire strategy as key factors that made interference ineffective. Team principals confirmed strategic calculations over gamesmanship defined F1's dramatic season conclusion.
McLaren ended its 17-year Drivers' Championship drought as Lando Norris clinched the 2025 F1 title in Abu Dhabi through flawless strategy execution, overcoming Max Verstappen and Red Bull in a tense season finale. Team principal Zak Brown called it 'unbelievable' after perfect pit calls secured McLaren's first drivers' crown since Lewis Hamilton's 2008 victory.
Lando Norris secured his maiden Formula 1 world championship by a razor-thin two-point margin over Max Verstappen after the Abu Dhabi finale, ending McLaren's 17-year drivers' title drought. Oscar Piastri completed the closest top-three finish in modern F1 history with 410 points as constructors' honors were decided earlier in Singapore.
Nico Rosberg criticized McLaren CEO Zak Brown for congratulating Oscar Piastri immediately after Abu Dhabi GP, arguing the celebratory radio message lacked empathy during Piastri's championship disappointment despite seven wins. The incident highlights leadership tensions when team success clashes with individual driver heartbreak in Formula 1's high-stakes environment.
Despite Max Verstappen's dominant Abu Dhabi GP victory and flawless execution, Red Bull fell two points short of the 2025 constructors' title after Lando Norris secured third place. Team principal Laurent Mekies declared zero regrets, calling it a 'perfect race' while celebrating the team's improbable late-season resurgence from over 100 points down.
Oscar Piastri conceded Lando Norris earned the 2025 F1 title after Abu Dhabi's season finale, praising his teammate's consistency while insisting Norris' championship won't alter McLaren's equal partnership dynamics. The Australian highlighted their fierce intra-team battle despite his late-season slump from a 34-point lead.
