Lando Norris Crowned 2025 F1 World Champion

Lando Norris from the McLaren F1 Team was crowned as 2025 Drivers' Champion last night in F1's season finale held in Abu Dhabi.

The 2025 Formula 1 (F1) racing season concluded on a high last night with its customary season-ending twilight race held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The season’s record 22nd racing round also doubled up as the World Drivers’ Champion title-decider.

Though defending champion Max Verstappen from Oracle Red Bull Racing clinched victory in the 58-lap race to chart a hat-trick of race wins, it was third-place finisher Lando Norris from the McLaren Formula 1 Team that finally dethroned the Dutchman for this year’s title.

Though defending champion Max Verstappen commanded the race and took victory, the Dutchman's bid for a record-setting fifth consecutive title was denied by Norris by just two points.

From the onset, Verstappen’s charge from pole position proved unbeatable as the Dutchman put on a masterclass in racecraft and proceeded to command the race and eventual victory. However, a record fifth consecutive title was denied by just two points – he had amassed as total season’s points haul of 421 points.

Despite seizing the initiative by passing McLaren teammate Norris during the race start, Australian driver Oscar Piastri couldn’t close the gap to Verstappen ahead. The 24-year-old had led the championship standings for the longest period this season and was also a pipped as a title contender.

Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri, who was also a title contender, settled for second place in the race and ranking of third overall in the drivers' standings.

Alas, Piastri was forced to settle for second in the race, which in turn saw him rank third overall with a total season’s points haul of 410 points. Teammate Norris needed to finish no worse than third to secure the title, regardless of where either Verstappen and Piastri placed – he had entered the weekend with 408 points, and only needed 15 more to secure the title.

Along the way, Norris also fended off the controversial defensive weaving from Verstappen’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull Racing machine. Whilst the Japanese driver's aggressive defence came under team orders following the initial pit stop window, the Tsunoda was penalised with a 5-sec time penalty.

Norris performing celebratory doughnuts down the main straight of the Yas Marina circuit. He finished the race in third to score enough points and secure this year's title.

F1 race direction had deemed Tsunoda’s moves, which forced Norris to overtake him with his car completely off track, illegal. The latter McLaren driver, on the other hand, was not given a penalty despite the off-track manoeuvre.

Nevertheless, with his total season's points haul of 423 points, Norris was officially crowned as the sport’s 35th drivers’ champion. The effort also marked the McLaren team’s first double triumph  – winning both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles – since 2008.

Norris became F1's 35th drivers' champion whilst McLaren marked their first double title win since 2008.

McLaren had clinched the 2025 F1 Constructors’ Title three races prior during the Brazillian Grand Prix. Following the season-ending Abu Dhabi race, the team’s total season’s points haul stood at 833 points, whereas runners up Red Bull Racing placed second with only 469 points.

With the 2025 season now concluded, all focus on the sport now shifts to the 2026 season where new technical regulations take effect, thus marking the end of the current ‘ground effects’ era of cars. In other words, come 2026, there will be all-new cars and – potentially – renewed title challengers.

(All images sourced from Formula1.com)