Through an exhibition of nerveless racing, Lando Norris has clinched his debut Formula One world championship by securing P3 at the Yas Marina race. Third place was all that was required for the 26-year-old driver, even though his rival Max Verstappen finished first and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri finished in second.
He delivered precisely what was necessary in an extremely intense contest at the Abu Dhabi track, featuring a number of audacious passing maneuvers, with impeccable work from both himself and his McLaren squad.
An Important Accomplishment for British Motorsport and The Team
By winning his maiden world championship, Norris becomes the 11th driver from Britain to do so. This ends the team's drivers’ championship drought, which dated back to 2008 when Lewis Hamilton last won it. Additionally, it had been 27 years since McLaren last secured the championship double back in 1998.
It signifies a stunning turnaround for the Woking-based outfit, from a low point in the mid-2010s when they ended up ninth in the standings. The comeback has been spearheaded by boss Zak Brown and, more recently, by Andrea Stella, who has delivered an well-drilled team with a race-winning car.
The new champion executes a celebratory spin after securing the world championship.
The Story of the McLaren
For his teammate Oscar Piastri, who had been the favorite for a large part of the season, there was clear disappointment at stumbling in the closing stages. Several of poor performances and some errors, including a crash in Baku, proved costly. However, he emerges having demonstrated he is too of champion caliber. To have been so fast in only his third year in F1, with multiple victories, remains a huge achievement.
Verstappen too had been exceptional to force the fight down to the last race. He did all he could in Abu Dhabi with the win, but having come back from a 104-point deficit mid-season, he did not quite have enough to catch Norris, finishing just two points behind.
Closing it Out with Ruthless Precision
Norris closed out his success with ruthless precision to take the championship that had been within reach but eluded him as McLaren found themselves floundering at the last two rounds. First a DSQ in Las Vegas and then an egregious strategy call in Qatar.
It was no little achievement for the 26-year-old in his seventh year in F1, all of them with McLaren. He remained loyal to the squad even during some difficult times, believing they would come good. That faith was vindicated in Abu Dhabi.
Norris performed a remarkable job to stick at his goal, maintaining his cool and belief even when under pressure. Having lost the lead to Piastri earlier, he still worked at maximising what he could.
Norris chases down the Red Bull of another competitor during the grand prix.
The Decisive Race
In the race, Verstappen kept his lead through turn one, but the three title leaders kept it clean. Piastri, using the more durable compound, was aggressive and made a spectacular move to pass the outside of Norris to take second place.
This demonstrated the McLarens were allowed to fight, but put Norris under pressure from the Charles Leclerc. The first round pit visits saw Norris emerge in midfield traffic, but he passed rivals within a lap and displayed no signs of nerves in his driving.
On lap 19, he made an absolutely bravura move to dive past two cars in one swoop, moving up to fourth and catching Verstappen's teammate. Red Bull told their driver to hold up Norris, which resulted in a dramatic assault where Norris went up the inside line, nearly completely off the track.
This moment was investigated by the race officials, with a few nerve-wracking laps elapsing before a penalty for his rival and no further action for Norris was decided. This bold move unimpeded was vital to his championship bid.
Contrasting Fortunes
While Norris became the first British driver to take the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2020, the difference in form between the two was stark. While the new generation fought for the title, Hamilton, the grand champion, could manage only eighth place in Abu Dhabi, a dismal conclusion to a dismal season with Ferrari.
Making his debut with the Italian team had been met by excitement but produced what was easily his worst season ever, ending up sixth in the championship and failing to secure a podium. He has appeared jaded in the final rounds and will aim to reset over the winter.
The champion revels on his car after being crowned the title winner.
