In a display of gutsy driving, the McLaren driver has clinched his first Formula One world championship by taking third place at the Yas Marina race. That finish was enough for the British driver, even though Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished first and his teammate at McLaren Oscar Piastri finished in second.
Norris executed exactly what was needed in an incredibly high-pressure race at the Yas Marina Circuit, including a number of audacious overtakes, with flawless execution from both himself and his McLaren squad.
An Important Accomplishment for Britain and McLaren
In taking his maiden world championship, Norris is now the 11th British driver to accomplish the feat. It also brings to an end the team's drivers’ championship wait, which stretched back to 2008 when Lewis Hamilton was their last champion. Furthermore, it had been 27 years since McLaren achieved the drivers’ and constructors’ double back in 1998.
It represents a stunning resurgence for the Woking-based outfit, since a low point in the mid-2010s when they ended up ninth in the standings. This resurgence has been led by boss Zak Brown and, most recently, by Andrea Stella, who has built an operationally sharp outfit with a race-winning car.
Lando Norris performs a victory spin after securing the world championship.
A Tale of Two McLaren
For the Australian Oscar Piastri, who had looked so strong for much of the campaign, there was obvious frustration at faltering in the final third. A series of difficult weekends and mistakes, including crashing out in Baku, were expensive. Nevertheless, he finishes the season having demonstrated he is also world champion material. Being so fast in only his third season in F1, with seven wins, remains very impressive.
Max Verstappen too had been brilliant to force the title battle down to the last race. He did everything possible in Abu Dhabi with the race victory, but having come back from a 104-point deficit mid-season, he did not quite have the points to overhaul Norris, finishing just a handful of points short.
Sealing the Deal with Clinical Execution
Norris closed out his title with ruthless precision to take the crown that had been so close but remained just out of grasp as McLaren found themselves floundering at the last two rounds. First a DSQ in Las Vegas and then an questionable strategy call in Qatar.
This represents no little accomplishment for the driver in his seventh year in F1, all of them with McLaren. He stuck with the squad even during some difficult periods, convinced they would return to the top. That faith was vindicated in Abu Dhabi.
He has done a remarkable job to persist with his task, maintaining his cool and confidence during periods under the cosh. Having lost the lead to Piastri after Saudi Arabia, he still worked at maximising the car's potential.
Norris chases down the Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda during the race.
The Title-Deciding Race
At the start, Verstappen held his first place through turn one, but the three title leaders avoided contact. Piastri, starting on the hard tyre, was feisty and made a brilliant move to pass the outside of Norris to take second place.
This demonstrated the McLarens were free to race, but left Norris under pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The first round pit stops saw Norris come out into traffic, but he passed rivals within a lap and showed no signs of nerves in his driving.
During the race, he made an absolutely bravura move to overtake two cars in one swoop, moving up to fourth and closing on Verstappen's teammate. The rival team instructed their driver to delay Norris, leading to a dramatic assault where Norris burst up the inside line, nearly leaving the track.
This moment was looked at by the stewards, with a few nerve-wracking laps elapsing before a penalty for his rival and no further action for Norris was decided. This decisive charge unimpeded was vital to his championship bid.
Contrasting Fates
As Norris became the first British driver to win the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2020, the difference in fortunes between the two was pronounced. As the young guns fought for the title, Hamilton, the veteran, could manage only eighth place in Abu Dhabi, a dismal ending to a difficult season with Ferrari.
His first season with the Italian team had been met by excitement but produced what was comfortably his worst season ever, finishing sixth in the championship without a podium. He has looked jaded in the closing races and will look to reset over the winter.
The champion celebrates on his car after becoming the title winner.
