Lando Norris became this Sunday (7) the 11th British F1 champion. The 26-year-old McLaren driver performed cautiously at the Abu Dhabi GP, which closed the 2025 season, and protected the advantage he had at the top of the World Championship. All he needed was third place in the United Arab Emirates to secure the title.
The result at the Yas Marina circuit left him with 423 points, compared to 421 for Dutchman Max Verstappen, from Red Bull, and 410 for Australian Oscar Piastri, his McLaren teammate. Aware that getting on the podium would be enough, he worked with social security and had help from Piastri, who came in second – if necessary, there would be a change of position. Verstappen won.
It was with relief that the now champion left his car. Open about the challenges he has faced in maintaining his mental health, he experienced ups and downs before achieving what he often referred to as “the big dream.” As he mentioned on several occasions, he had difficulty dealing with his own mistakes.
“I put too much pressure on myself, because I want to do well. I want to do so well, I want to be on pole, I want to win, I want to be perfect”, he said in April, during the first part of the campaign that would bring him the title. “I think I need to accept a little more that I’m not going to be perfect. I’m making mistakes because I’m trying to be perfect.”
The errors were not stopped. While fighting with his teammate Piastri for first place in the championship, Norris opened up an 88-point lead over Verstappen. The Dutchman, who was seeking his fifth consecutive title, made an impressive start after a poor start for Red Bull and ended the year just two points behind the champion.
At the decisive moment, however, the Brit avoided repeating mistakes and remained calm. He controlled his pace and had only a moment of apprehension. When he overtook Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, who was ahead due to a pit stop, he had to take his car off the track. It was clear to the race management, however, that it was the Japanese, in an irregular zigzag movement, who forced the detour.
“I had no idea that I was being investigated for this overtaking. But I was calm, enjoying the moment, I knew what I had done,” he said, still on the track, while drying his tears. “I haven’t cried in a long time. I said I wouldn’t cry… But I’m proud and happy for everyone I made cry today.”
Lando Norris joined the list of British F1 champions, which already included Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. And it contributed to McLaren, a traditional English team that is now owned by funds from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, also triumphing.
Constructors’ World Champion for the tenth time, the team is now behind only the Italian Ferrari, which has 16 titles. The victory was easily assured, with six rounds to spare, but problems in the final part of the season left the result of the Drivers’ World Championship at risk.
In the penultimate race, in Las Vegas, Norris and Piastri were disqualified due to irregular wear on the floorboards of their cars. The door opened for Verstappen, finally closed in Abu Dhabi. Once the race was over, Piastri and Verstappen went to the champion’s car to congratulate him.
