Yesterday at the floodlit Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, Lando Norris made history by clinching his maiden Formula One world title. The 26-year-old Briton finished third behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen, the race winner, and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, securing the crown by just two points.
It was a nail-biting finale: Norris ended Verstappen's four-year championship reign with a final tally of 423 points to Verstappen's 421, while Piastri completed the podium with 410. The duel came down to the wire in a rare multi-driver showdown, the first such four-way scrap for the title since 2010.
After crossing the line, Norris's team engineer crackled over the radio: "That's it mate, you are world champion, world champion!" An emotional Norris replied, "Thank you guys, you made a kid's dream come true."
On the podium, he added, "I haven't cried in a while, I didn't think I would cry but I did. I want to thank my mum, my dad, they've supported me since the beginning. It feels amazing!"
For McLaren, helmed by team principal Andrea Stella and CEO Zak Brown, this victory caps off a stellar season. The team sealed a second straight constructors' title in Singapore last month, underscoring their return to form.
Norris also made team history as McLaren's 13th drivers' champion, and the first British winner since Lewis Hamilton in 2020. The British marque's legacy dates back to Emerson Fittipaldi's 1974 triumph and includes icons such as James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and Hamilton.
"As we've seen many times, anything can happen. So I just kept pushing. I wanted to fight to the end," Norris reflected. "Verstappen and Piastri certainly made life tough, but I'm proud I could deliver this for McLaren after nine years with them."
Stats at a Glance
- Champion: Lando Norris — 423 points
- Runner-up: Max Verstappen — 421 points
- Third place: Oscar Piastri — 410 points
- Constructors' champion: McLaren
With this breakthrough win, Norris cements his place among F1's elite and inspires a new generation of aspiring drivers around the world.
Reference(s):
Tearful McLaren driver Norris clinches "amazing" Formula 1 world title
cgtn.com
