Lando Norris clinched the Drivers’ Championship title, becoming the 11th British driver to achieve this feat by securing a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Going into the weekend, Norris held a 12-point lead over defending champion Max Verstappen, with his teammate Oscar Piastri also in contention, trailing Verstappen by four points.
Despite missing out on an earlier chance to secure the championship in Qatar due to a strategic error by McLaren, Norris faced immense pressure heading into the Abu Dhabi race. Qualifying saw Norris outperform Piastri to secure a front-row start alongside Verstappen.
During the race, Norris was challenged by Piastri and then by Charles Leclerc, who demonstrated strong race pace. Norris strategically pitted to counter an undercut attempt by rivals behind him, eventually overtaking Leclerc and navigating past traffic.
A pivotal moment came when Norris made a decisive move on Tsunoda, capitalizing on a penalty given to the Red Bull driver. As the race progressed, Norris managed his lead over Leclerc and reacted to Piastri’s pit stop, ensuring a safe gap.
Maintaining his focus and tire management, Norris controlled the race, ultimately crossing the finish line to claim the championship. This victory marked the peak of his seven-year journey in Formula 1, restoring British motorsport to the pinnacle of success.