Lando Norris was overcome with emotion as he clinched his first F1 world championship title by finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Max Verstappen by two points. The British driver, now the 35th world champion in F1 history, expressed his joy and relief after a tense period leading up to the victory.
After crossing the finish line, Norris tearfully thanked his team on the McLaren radio, acknowledging them for making his dreams a reality. McLaren team principal Zak Brown praised Norris and his teammate Oscar for their outstanding performance in securing the championship.
Despite a 12-point lead over Verstappen prior to the Abu Dhabi race, Norris had a challenging moment when he faced a stewards’ investigation for a maneuver involving Yuki Tsunoda. Verstappen won the race but fell short of clinching his fifth title, with Norris maintaining his lead to secure the championship.
Verstappen finished first with a significant lead over Oscar Piastri in second place, while Norris secured third place ahead of Charles Leclerc. The season finale saw Verstappen trying to disrupt Norris’ position but ultimately failing to derail his championship bid.