Lando Norris was overwhelmed with emotion as he clinched his first F1 world championship title. Securing third place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Norris edged out Max Verstappen by a mere two points to claim the prestigious title.
As the 35th world champion in F1 history, the British driver could not contain his joy and relief after a tumultuous period leading up to the race. “Thank you guys… oh my god,” Norris exclaimed over the team radio upon finishing the race. “You made my dreams come true, thank you so much. I love you guys, for everything. You deserve it. I love you mum, I love you dad. Thanks for everything. And now I’m crying!”
McLaren team principal Zak Brown also expressed his excitement, saying, “We did it, it wasn’t easy. Lando and Oscar, what a group of great drivers!”
Heading into the Abu Dhabi race with a 12-point advantage over Verstappen, Norris had missed a chance to secure the championship in Qatar due to McLaren’s strategy missteps. Despite Verstappen’s impressive performance in winning the final three races of the season, he fell short of claiming his fifth title.
During the Abu Dhabi race, Norris faced scrutiny from race stewards for a maneuver involving Yuki Tsunoda of the Red Bull team. However, Norris escaped any penalties, and despite Verstappen’s victory in Abu Dhabi, Norris’ consistent performance throughout the season secured his championship triumph.
Verstappen finished the race 12.5 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Oscar Piastri, refraining from tactics that could have jeopardized Norris’ third-place finish. Norris crossed the line 3.9 seconds behind his McLaren teammate Piastri, with Charles Leclerc coming in fourth place.
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