Lando Norris was overwhelmed with emotion as he clinched his first F1 world championship title after finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Max Verstappen by a mere two points. As the 35th world champion in F1 history, the British driver expressed his gratitude and joy for achieving the ultimate prize following a period of uncertainty.
Upon crossing the finish line, Norris tearfully thanked his McLaren team over the radio, acknowledging the role they played in realizing his dreams. McLaren team principal Zak Brown praised Norris and his teammate Oscar for their exceptional performance.
Despite a 12-point lead over Verstappen before the Abu Dhabi race, Norris faced a challenge as Verstappen won the final three races but fell short of securing his fifth championship. Norris also faced scrutiny during the race for a maneuver involving Yuki Tsunoda but was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Verstappen claimed victory in Abu Dhabi, with Norris securing third place to secure the championship, while Piastri finished as the runner-up. Verstappen refrained from employing any controversial tactics to disrupt Norris’ position, ultimately solidifying Norris’ championship win.