Lando Norris dethrones Max Verstappen to win first F1 World Championship

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Lando Norris dethrones Max Verstappen to win first F1 World Championship.

At the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, merely a top-3 finish was enough for Lando Norris to clinch his maiden world title — and that’s exactly what he delivered. Despite Max Verstappen securing pole position and crossing the finish line first at the Yas Marina Circuit, global attention instead centered on Norris as he celebrated his first championship crown.

Heading into the final round, the 26-year-old McLaren driver needed only a podium to preserve his lead. He delivered — finishing third behind Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri. That was enough to secure the title by a narrow two-point margin.

Norris’s triumph ends Verstappen’s four-season reign as world champion and concludes nearly 1,500 days of dominance at the top of Formula 1. Overcome with emotion, Norris admitted:

“I haven’t cried in a long time, and I never expected to cry — but today the tears came. It’s hard to describe. I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, the two biggest rivals I faced all year. Competing against them has been a tremendous honor.”

He closed out the season with 7 wins in 24 races, 18 podium finishes, and 7 pole positions — a historic milestone. It marks McLaren’s first Drivers’ Championship since 2008 (when released driver took the title) and completes a rare double: both the individual driver’s crown and the Constructors’ Championship in the same year — something that hasn’t happened since 1998.

Behind him, Verstappen staged a fierce late-season comeback with 5 victories in the final 8 rounds before Abu Dhabi. But even with 104 points heading into the Netherlands Grand Prix, it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Meanwhile, Piastri — who led much of the season — ended third overall, 13 points shy of Norris. Reflecting on the result, the Australian was optimistic: “This has been an unforgettable season. We learned a lot from each other, and there are many years ahead for tough battles and high-pressure weekends. That growth contributes to the team’s overall success.”