McLaren’s Lando Norris won his first Formula 1 drivers’ championship by finishing third in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old won the title by two points from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who won the race to take his eighth victory of the year, one more than the Briton and his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.
McLaren were always in control of a race packed with tension even though Verstappen was on course for victory from the first lap, because Piastri finished second and was in a position to help Norris if needed.
Norris becomes the 11th British F1 world champion at the end of his seventh season in F1, a year that he started slowly but in which he came on strong in the second half of the year.
And it is McLaren’s first drivers’ and constructors’ title double since 1998.
“I’ve not cried in a while and I didn’t think I would cry but I did,” said a jubilant Norris.
“I mean, it feels amazing, I now know what Max feels like. I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season.
“It’s been a pleasure to race against both of them and an honour, I’ve learned a lot from both of them as well.
“I’ve enjoyed it and it has been a long year but we did it and I’m so proud of everyone.”
