Abu Dhabi: Lando Norris achieved his first drivers’ championship on Sunday, marking McLaren’s first title double since 1998 with a skillfully executed drive that placed him third, following Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, the race winner, and his teammate Oscar Piastri.
An emotional Norris secured the championship by a mere two points over Verstappen, who lost his title after four consecutive years, during a thrilling and emotional season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which was heavily influenced by strategy and tactics.
Upon crossing the finish line, his team engineer exclaimed: “That’s it mate, you are world champion, world champion!”
“Thank you guys, you made a kid’s dream come true,” Norris responded.
“I haven’t cried in a while; I didn’t expect to cry, but I did,” Norris expressed on the podium under the illuminated night sky at the Yas Marina circuit.
“I want to thank my mum and dad; they have supported me from the very start.
“It feels incredible; I can somewhat understand what Max has experienced. I want to congratulate both Max and Oscar; I have enjoyed this journey; it has been a long year!” he continued.
McLaren, led by team principal Andrea Stella and CEO Zak Brown, clinched consecutive constructors’ titles last month in Singapore.
“That was thrilling, perhaps a bit too thrilling, but awesome,” Brown remarked.
“What an effort from Lando and Oscar; what a remarkable season!” the American added.
“I’m so proud of our drivers, we let them race to the end. It’s been a dream with these two guys, as that Max guy is hard to beat so what an accomplishment.”
Norris becomes Britain’s first world champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2020 with this 13th drivers’ crown for McLaren.
The 26-year-old’s success comes over half a century after Emerson Fittipaldi claimed the British marque’s first drivers’ title in 1974.
A galaxy of F1 greats followed – James Hunt (1976), Niki Lauda (1984), Alain Prost (1985, 1986, 1989), Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990, 1991), Mikka Hakkinen (1998, 1999) and Hamilton in 2008.
Assessing his path to glory Norris added: “As we’ve seen many times, anything can happen. So I just kept pushing. I wanted to fight to the end. (Verstappen and Piastri) certainly did not make my life easy this year. But I am happy!
“It has been a long journey with McLaren, I’ve been with them for nine years.
“For me to bring something back to them, I feel like I did my part for the team this year so I’m proud of myself.”
Piastri, who had led the championship for much of the season before being overtaken by Norris in Mexico, finished third in the standings.
Sunday’s season-closer was the first time the title was decided by a contest involving more than two drivers since a four-way scrap at the final race in Abu Dhabi in 2010.
Norris showed great discipline and patience as he executed his race under extreme pressure knowing that any error could gift the title to an unforgiving and relentless Verstappen or Piastri, who led the championship for 15 Grands Prix this year.
“I’m definitely not disappointed,” said Verstappen.
“I am proud of everyone. We never give up.”
It was Verstappen’s fifth win in Abu Dhabi and extended the Yas Marina Circuit’s record in producing 11 consecutive winners from pole position as he came home 12.594 seconds clear of Piastri with Norris third, 3.9sec further adrift.
Charles Leclerc, who was pressing Norris for much of the race, came fourth for a revitalised Ferrari, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and Esteban Ocon of Haas.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton finished a solid eighth for Ferrari, after starting 16th, ahead of Oliver Bearman of Haas and Nico Hulkenberg, in his 250th Grand Prix, of Audi-bound Sauber.
It was Verstappen’s eighth win of the year and the 71st of his career and one of his most controlled.
