Through an exhibition of nerveless racing, the McLaren driver has sealed his first Formula One world championship by taking a podium finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Third place was sufficient for the 26-year-old driver, even though Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri finished in second.
Norris executed exactly what was required in an enormously high-pressure contest at the Yas Marina Circuit, featuring a series of audacious passing maneuvers, with flawless work from both himself and his McLaren squad.
An Important Accomplishment for Britain and McLaren
With this his first world championship, Norris becomes the 11th driver from Britain to achieve this. It concludes McLaren's drivers’ championship wait, which went back to 2008 when Lewis Hamilton was their last champion. Additionally, it had been 27 years since McLaren achieved the championship double back in 1998.
This marks a stunning resurgence for the Woking-based outfit, since a nadir in the middle of the last decade when they twice finished ninth in the standings. This resurgence has been led by boss Zak Brown and, most recently, by Andrea Stella, who has delivered an well-drilled outfit with a race-winning car.
Lando Norris performs a victory donut after winning the world championship.
A Tale of Two McLaren
For his teammate Oscar Piastri, who had been the favorite for a large part of the season, there was clear frustration at faltering in the later races. Several of poor performances and some errors, such as a crash in Baku, were expensive. Nevertheless, he finishes the season having shown he is too world champion material. To have been so competitive in only his third year in F1, with multiple victories, remains very impressive.
Max Verstappen too had been exceptional to take the title battle to the wire. The Dutchman did everything possible in Abu Dhabi with the win, but after fighting back from a 104-point deficit mid-season, he did not quite have the points to catch Norris, ending up just two points behind.
Sealing the Deal with Clinical Execution
Norris closed out his title with clinical precision to take the crown that had been within reach but eluded him as McLaren struggled at the last two races. First a DSQ in Las Vegas and then an egregious tactical decision in Qatar.
This represents no little achievement for the 26-year-old in his seventh year in F1, each one with McLaren. He stuck with the team even during tough times, convinced they would return to the top. That belief was rewarded in Abu Dhabi.
Norris performed a hugely impressive job to stick at his task, maintaining his composure and belief during periods under pressure. After losing the lead to Piastri earlier, he nonetheless worked at getting the most from the car's potential.
Lando Norris closes on the Red Bull of another competitor during the grand prix.
The Decisive Grand Prix
At the start, Verstappen held his first place through the first corner, but the three title leaders kept it clean. Piastri, using the more durable compound, was aggressive and made a brilliant move to go round the outside of Norris to take second place.
It showed the McLarens were free to race, but put Norris under pressure from the Charles Leclerc. Early pit stops saw Norris emerge in midfield traffic, but he overtook rivals within a lap and displayed great composure in his race craft.
During the race, he made an incredibly bold move to dive past two cars in one swoop, moving up to fourth and catching Verstappen's teammate. The rival team instructed their driver to hold up Norris, leading to a dramatic overtaking attempt where Norris went up the inside line, almost completely off the track.
This moment was investigated by the stewards, with a few nerve-wracking laps elapsing before a penalty for his rival and exoneration for Norris settled the matter. This bold move without being held up was vital to his championship bid.
Contrasting Fates
While Norris became the first Briton to take the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2020, the difference in fortunes between the two was pronounced. While the new generation battled over the title, Hamilton, the grand champion, could manage only eighth place in Abu Dhabi, a disappointing conclusion to a dismal season with Ferrari.
His first season with the Italian team had been greeted with enthusiasm but produced what was easily his worst season ever, ending up sixth in the championship and failing to secure a podium. He has looked jaded in the closing races and will aim to reset over the winter.
Lando Norris revels on his car after being crowned the title winner.
