In a dramatic and tense season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lando Norris clinched the 2025 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship in his seventh season. The 26-year-old Briton became the 35th driver in F1’s 75-year history to secure the title, and notably, the first FIA Formula 2 graduate to take the Formula 1 crown.
Norris, who started the race with a 12-point advantage over Max Verstappen, needed a podium finish (P3 or better) in Abu Dhabi to guarantee the title, a requirement he met by finishing third, 16.572 seconds behind the winner.
The Final Numbers: Championship Standings
The title battle was one of the tightest in F1 history, decided by a razor-thin margin of just two points after the final race.
| Position | Driver | Team | Final Points | Title Margin |
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 423 | +2 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 421 | |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 410 |
McLaren also secured their second consecutive and tenth overall Constructors’ Championship.
Race Day Drama and Championship Composure
The season finale was defined by strategy and tenacity. Although Max Verstappen won the race (his eighth win of the season and 71st career victory), his 25 points were not enough to overcome Norris’s consistency.
- Race Finish: Norris finished third, directly behind race winner Max Verstappen and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished second.
- The Pressure: Norris was forced to hold his nerve, especially after Piastri aggressively demoted him to P3 on the opening lap and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc hounded him throughout the race.
- A Personal Victory: Despite the pressure, Norris expressed immense pride in how he won the title, stating he refused to conform to traditional expectations of being an “aggressive” or “forceful” champion. “I just won it my way,” he declared, referring to his self-effacing and clean driving style.
The Challenge Ahead
The victory caps a remarkable comeback for Norris, who was 34 points behind his teammate Piastri at one point in the season. However, attention is already turning to the 2026 season, which will introduce major regulation changes.
Norris acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining his position at the top, stating: “Getting to the top is a challenge no doubt but staying there is far, far tougher.” He highlighted the new regulations as a massive challenge for all teams, especially the reigning champions, adding, “This might be my only time – I really hope it’s not.” He also paid tribute to his teammate, Oscar Piastri, describing the Australian as “a guy who at some point in the future will probably beat me and be a world champion.”