LANDO NORRIS secured his first Formula One world championship on Sunday with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, ending Max Verstappen’s four-season run as champion.
The British racing driver needed a top-three finish at the Yas Marina Circuit to take the title and placed behind race winner Verstappen and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. He won the season by two points.
Verstappen started from pole and won the race, but Norris’s result gave him the championship after a season-long contest that also involved his McLaren teammate. Norris, 26, becomes the first McLaren driver to win the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008. McLaren also secured the constructors’ title for the first time since 1998.
"I've not cried in a while and I didn't think I would cry but I did," Norris said. "I mean, it feels amazing. I now know what Max feels like. I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season. It's been a pleasure to race against both of them and an honour. I've learned a lot from both of them as well.
"I've enjoyed it and it has been a long year but we did it and I'm so proud of everyone."
Norris finished the season with seven wins in 24 races, 18 podiums and seven poles. Verstappen won eight races. Piastri, who led the standings for much of the season, finished 13 points behind Norris.
The year featured swings between Norris and Piastri, with Piastri opening with a run of wins in Bahrain, Jeddah and Miami. Norris, who criticised himself heavily early in the season, recovered form in Monaco with pole and a win. He later added victories in Austria, Silverstone and Hungary.
A breakdown in Zandvoort left Norris 34 points behind Piastri before Piastri’s opening-lap crash in Baku and further shifts in momentum. McLaren won the constructors’ title in Singapore, where the teammates collided. "So are we cool with Lando just barging me out of the way there?" Piastri said at the time.
Norris retook the points lead by one point in Mexico and extended it with a sprint and race win from pole in Brazil. A double disqualification for McLaren in Las Vegas kept the title open, with Verstappen winning in Qatar to narrow the gap.
Piastri said: "It's been a fun challenge. At certain points maybe it doesn't feel that fun but it's been a really enjoyable season for both of us -- and I'm saying that as the person who's not champion.
"I've learned plenty of things (from him) along the way and it's nice to know that it goes both ways. There are plenty more years to come of intense weekends and tight battles. Ultimately it has made both of us better drivers and contributed to the success that both of us have had."
Verstappen made a late run at the title, cutting a 104-point deficit after Piastri’s Dutch Grand Prix win on 31 August. He won five of the eight races before Abu Dhabi but fell short by two points.
Norris ended with 423 points, Verstappen on 421 and Piastri third.
(With inputs from agencies)
