NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Lando Norris is on top of the world.
Norris finished third in the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday night, but managed to do enough to retain the World Drivers’ Championship. He finished two points ahead of Max Verstappen and 13 points ahead of his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Great Britain celebrates after becoming world champion following the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Norris was in tears and credited his family and his McLaren team for helping him get through a “long journey.”
“It feels amazing. Now I know a little bit how Max feels,” Norris said. “…I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been a long year, but we did it. I’m very proud of everyone.”
He is the 35th driver to win an F1 World Championship. The standings became very tight at the end of the season. Norris won the first race of the season, but Piastri took four wins in the next five races. Verstappen then won his second race before Norris.
Norris and Piastri would take the lion’s share of mid-season wins before Verstappen ended his eight-race podium drought. The Red Bull driver would warm up after his victory in the Italian Grand Prix.
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Great Britain reacts after becoming world champion following the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
KAULIG RACING AND RAM PRESENT UNIQUE FREE AGENT PROGRAM FOR 2026 NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
Verstappen won six of the last nine races and rose to the top of the standings. Norris and Piastri inadvertently made the race to the World Championship interesting when they were both disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Verstappen and Piastri would need Norris to actually make a mistake to have any better chance of winning the championship, but the British superstar driver stuck together and took the first F1 title of his career.
Norris ends Verstappen’s reign as world champion. The Red Bull star has won the last four World Championships. Lewis Hamilton was the last driver not named Verstappen to win an F1 title, but he had absolute dominance of the sport from 2014 to 2020 and the only year he didn’t win was 2016 (Nico Rosberg).
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Great Britain crosses the finish line to become the world champion during the Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Andrej Isakovic, Pool via AP)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
Norris is the first McLaren driver to win since Hamilton in 2008.
