Crime in Abu Dhabi
Trembling in the final: Lando Norris is Formula 1 world champion
Updated on December 7, 2025 – 3:45 p.mReading time: 3 minutes
Lando Norris is crowned champion for the first time in his career. But in the season finale in Abu Dhabi he has to tremble for a long time. The race starts with a bang.
Lando Norris is the new Formula 1 world champion. The McLaren driver was crowned the new title holder of the “premier class” in the exciting season finale in Abu Dhabi, replacing Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who recently became world champion four times in a row. It is Norris’ first world title.
Third place at the Yas Marina Circuit was enough for the 26-year-old Norris to secure his first World Cup triumph – before the season finale, the World Championship leader (408 points ahead of Abu Dhabi), Verstappen (396) and Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri (392) also had a chance of winning the title. And Verstappen actually won the last race comfortably with a start-to-finish victory – ahead of Piastri. If Norris had only finished fourth, Verstappen would have been the champion again. Since the Brit, who was overtaken by Piastri right at the start, crossed the finish line directly behind in third place, Verstappen’s success was no longer valid.
In the final ranking, Norris has 423 points, just ahead of Verstappen (421) and Piasti (410).
At 5:03 p.m. local time the red lights went out for the last time this season. Verstappen secured pole with a fantastic lap, Norris came second in qualifying and Piastri third. Papa Norris hugged his son again. It only helped to a limited extent. Verstappen defended first place and he didn’t have to take it either.
But Piastri immediately applied pressure. The Australian, whose manager Mark Webber was one of the World Cup losers against Vettel in 2010, took full battle line. Was that what the team bosses intended? Piastri pulled through and overtook Norris on the outside. He wasn’t really surprised, claimed McLaren’s managing director Zak Brown on Sky Sports UK. Interim conclusion after the nervous start: “So far, so good, not comfortable.”
Third place would be enough for Norris to win the title, but Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari was pushing from behind for a while. The Monegasque, who has been chasing the title in vain for years, didn’t get close enough to overtake. On lap 17, Norris went to the pit stop: 2.1 seconds and the new tires were on. That was quick. He returned to the track in ninth place and quickly made up positions before falling behind Verstappen’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda.