Norris Seals 2025 F1 Title in Abu Dhabi as McLaren Ends 17-Year Drivers’ Drought

Overview

• Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of Oscar Piastri, with Lando Norris finishing third to clinch the championship 423–421 over Verstappen, with Piastri on 410.
• McLaren completed its comeback with the Constructors’ Championship on 833 points and placed both drivers in the top three of the standings.
• Stewards penalized Yuki Tsunoda for defensive weaving as Norris overtook, while Norris was cleared after a parallel review of leaving the track during the incident.
• Norris fought back tears as he thanked McLaren and his family, while Verstappen praised Red Bull’s late-season recovery and said the “life continues” after missing the title by two points.
• Post-race fallout stretched online as Piastri’s terse “Felicidades” on Norris’s Instagram went viral, and sports press estimated Norris’s 2025 pay with bonuses at around €30 million.