After clinching his first Formula One world title, Lando Norris revealed he spent the final laps of Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix reflecting on the long, winding journey that brought him to the sport’s summit.
Speaking a day after sealing the championship with a third-place finish at Yas Marina, Norris described the emotional weight of the moment. His closest rival, Max Verstappen, won the race but ultimately fell two points short in the standings. The title fight had remained razor-close until the final round, with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri—who had led the championship for much of the season—also in contention. Piastri finished third overall.
Lando Norris basked in his maiden Formula One world championship at the weekend, celebrating his triumph after the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
The 26-year-old McLaren driver described the moment as surreal, admitting he spent the final laps replaying memories from his earliest days in karting to the highs and lows of his seven years in Formula One.
Despite finishing third in the race, Norris secured the title by a slim two-point margin over Max Verstappen, who won the Grand Prix but fell short in the standings. The battle had stayed razor-close to the final round, with Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri – who had led for much of the season – ultimately finishing third in the championship and their second manufacturer’s title in succession.
Norris admitted he partied with friends until 6 a.m. at the hotel, which overlooks the Yas Marina circuit, and spectacularly ended his night with a regret-laced Sausage McMuffin from McDonald’s.
The Briton showed nerves of steel in Abu Dhabi, making bold overtakes to secure the third-place finish he needed. But as the chequered flag approached, he confessed to uncertainty about how he would feel upon realizing a childhood dream.
As the 11th British driver to win an F1 title, Norris now joins an elite club – but was adamant that the fame wouldn’t change who he is. He insisted the external trappings of success would not alter his approach to life or racing.
His path to the championship wasn’t smooth. Last season, Norris had mounted a late but unsuccessful challenge to Verstappen, a campaign that McLaren team principal Andrea Stella identified as a key developmental milestone. According to Stella, it was during that stretch that Norris began to realize: “I can compete with Max.”
This season, Norris struggled with a lack of front grip in the car’s early iterations, costing him especially in qualifying. During that period, Piastri surged ahead in the standings, delivering a series of impressive performances. But mid-season upgrades, particularly to the front suspension, brought a turning point for Norris, restoring the confidence and control he needed.
Stella emphasized that Norris’s response to the difficult start was a defining feature of his championship run.
“It was the start of a process which was structured, holistic,” he explained, citing improvements across driving, mindset, and racecraft. “It makes me particularly glad that Lando could capitalise on this… I’ve not necessarily seen this level of development before – either in terms of effort or the speed at which it happened.”
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Photograph: Nicolas Economou.
