The Abu Dhabi season finale served up drama on track and a string of memorable off-track moments. Here are eight highlights that may have slipped under the radar.
1) Championship celebrations
Lando Norris sealed his first world title with a calm, clinical third-place finish while Max Verstappen won the race but came up short in the standings. The paddock erupted immediately: family waiting backstage, warm embraces from rivals including Oscar Piastri and Verstappen, and a raucous McLaren garage party that ran late into the night. Champagne, singalongs and videos of Norris belting out “We Are the Champions” and “Sweet Caroline” capped a fairy-tale finish to his season.
2) Drivers’ dinner
The traditional drivers’ dinner gave almost the whole grid one last relaxed evening together. A group photo spread across social feeds and the room hummed with jokey dress-code debates, banter about end-of-year bets and playful one-liners. It’s become a wholesome paddle of paddock camaraderie before the final on-track intensity.
3) Emotional goodbyes
Abu Dhabi doubled as a farewell stage. Yuki Tsunoda ran his final weekend as a full-time race driver before moving to a reserve role in 2026, swapping helmets with Pierre Gasly in a touching exchange and receiving heartfelt send-offs in the garage. Sauber marked the end of an era with founder Peter Sauber in attendance as the team prepares to become Audi. Valtteri Bottas was feted ahead of his move to Cadillac—complete with media moments, photobombs and the customary post-race harbour toss—one last showcase of his affable personality.
4) The final DRS
After more than a decade of reshaping overtaking, DRS made its last appearance in Abu Dhabi before rule changes take effect. Teams and drivers posted playful tributes, and young driver Kimi Antonelli was given the honor of opening the final DRS flap—a small, unexpectedly sentimental bookend for a piece of F1 technology.
5) Rookie radio comedy in FP1
Nine rookies took FP1 stints, producing some classic radio confusion. Ferrari’s decision to run Arthur Leclerc alongside brother Charles forced engineers to improvise nicknames (“Leclerc junior,” “big Leclerc”) and led to several lighthearted mix-ups. Other teams experienced scrambled name calls and nervous engineers, creating a string of funny, human radio exchanges that entertained fans.
6) Paddock glamour and Glambot
Yas Marina’s festival-like atmosphere met F1 spectacle with Cole Walliser’s Glambot capturing slow-motion poses across the paddock. Drivers queued for cinematic shots—power stances, crossed-arms looks and comic moments, including a Bottas moustache gag—bringing a splash of Hollywood to the paddock perimeter.
7) Family moments and milestones
The weekend featured intimate family scenes: Isack Hadjar invited his father into the garage for a walkaround and even a brief sit in the car, while Nico Hülkenberg gave his daughter a supervised turn behind the wheel. Hülkenberg also celebrated his 250th Grand Prix with a gladiator-themed helmet and recovered from 18th on the grid to finish ninth. Special helmets were a theme elsewhere too: Williams donned purple lids to mark their season, Carlos Sainz paid tribute to his mascot “Sparkles,” Charles Leclerc marked 150 races for Ferrari, and Lewis Hamilton closed his first year at Scuderia Ferrari with a glittering mirror-gold helmet.
8) A star-studded finale
A title-deciding weekend drew a high-profile crowd. Actress Ana de Armas waved the chequered flag and visited multiple garages, while the grandstands and paddock filled with athletes, musicians and global influencers. From pop stars and rock acts to DJs such as Peggy Gou and Carl Cox, Yas Marina felt equal parts sporting showdown and festival.
Abu Dhabi once again blended high-stakes racing with human moments, farewells, firsts and spectacle—an apt close to the season that left both the track and the paddock buzzing.