Lando Norris was overcome with emotion as he clinched his first Formula 1 world championship title. The British driver secured the championship by finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Max Verstappen by just two points.
This victory makes Norris the 35th world champion in F1 history. Overwhelmed with joy and relief, Norris expressed his gratitude to his team over the radio, thanking them for making his dreams a reality. McLaren team principal Zak Brown praised Norris and his teammate Oscar for their impressive driving skills.
Leading into the Abu Dhabi race, Norris had a 12-point lead over Verstappen. Despite Verstappen’s strong performance in the final races of the season, Norris held onto his lead to claim the championship.
During the Abu Dhabi race, Norris faced a stewards’ investigation for a driving incident but managed to avoid any penalties. Verstappen won the race, but Norris’ third-place finish was enough to secure the championship, with teammate Piastri coming in second.
Verstappen, who had more race victories than any other driver that season, finished ahead of Piastri with Norris following closely behind. Charles Leclerc took fourth place in the race.