Lando Norris Achieves Childhood Dream By Winning F1 Title At Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Lando Norris achieved a lifelong ambition by winning the Formula One world championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He secured the title by finishing third, becoming the 11th British driver to do so. Max Verstappen claimed victory in the race, marking his eighth win of the season, while Oscar Piastri, Norris' McLaren teammate, finished second.

Norris is now the 35th driver to be crowned world champion and follows a line of illustrious McLaren champions. He is the eighth McLaren driver to achieve this feat, joining legends like Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen, and Lewis Hamilton. "It's incredible. It is pretty surreal, you know? I've dreamed of this for a long, long time," Norris expressed.

The Briton ended the 2025 season just two points ahead of Verstappen. Piastri secured third place in the Drivers' Championship, trailing Norris by 13 points. The title seemed within Piastri's grasp after he won the Dutch Grand Prix in August when Norris retired due to an oil leak. At that point, Piastri led by 34 points but couldn't maintain his lead.

Norris praised Piastri's performance throughout the season and acknowledged his contribution to his own growth as a driver. "Oscar has done an incredible job," he said. "I've learnt a lot from him and my other team-mates. " Norris believes it's only a matter of time before Piastri becomes a champion himself.

Reflecting on his journey with McLaren over several years, Norris highlighted the importance of teamwork in achieving success. "I did it with an incredible team," he noted. He also mentioned how challenging it can be when teammates compete for the championship as they often take points from each other.

THIS MEANS EVERYTHING TO LANDO#McLaren | #ThisTeam pic.twitter.com/zlj6vbgYmNMcLaren (@McLarenF1) December 7, 2025

Norris reflected on his journey with McLaren over many years and emphasised that achieving such success requires teamwork and perseverance. "A lot goes into a season like this," he said. Despite challenges along the way, he remained focused on reaching his goal with support from his team.

The season was particularly tough for Norris as he faced strong competition from both Verstappen and Piastri. However, he managed to come out on top thanks to consistent performances and strategic decisions throughout the year. His victory adds another chapter to McLaren's storied history in Formula One racing.

As Norris celebrates this milestone achievement in his career, he looks forward to more seasons alongside talented drivers like Piastri who continue pushing him further as a competitor on track.