Lando Norris has claimed the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, ending Britain’s 17-year drought for a world champion, after a thrilling finale at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. The 26-year-old finished third behind Max Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri, securing 423 points, just two ahead of Verstappen’s 421.
Norris becomes the 36th F1 world champion and delivers McLaren their first drivers’ title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008. McLaren had already clinched the Constructors’ Championship months earlier in Singapore, completing their first team double since Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1991.
In Abu Dhabi, Verstappen took pole, fastest lap, and the race win, while Norris’s third-place finish was enough to secure the championship. Piastri’s late overtake added a dramatic twist to the finale. McLaren finished the season with 14 wins, marking their first double in 34 years.
Notable Records and Milestones in 2025:
- Most points ever by a Constructors’ champion: 833
- Closest drivers’ title decided by points: 2
- McLaren’s 10th Constructors’ title, second on the all-time list
- First season with no fastest-lap bonus point
With 2026 regulations looming, Norris enters the off-season as the benchmark, Verstappen plotting a comeback, and Piastri ready to challenge next year. Formula 1 now has a new king: Lando Norris.
