The Abu Dhabi season finale delivered drama on track and plenty of memorable moments off it. From a first world title to emotional farewells, here are eight highlights you might have missed.
1) Championship celebrations
Lando Norris secured his maiden world title by finishing third, while Max Verstappen won the race but fell short in the standings. The emotion was immediate: family waiting in the paddock, warm embraces from rivals including Oscar Piastri and Verstappen, and an exuberant McLaren garage celebration complete with champagne and late-night singalongs. Videos of Norris belting “We Are the Champions” and “Sweet Caroline” rounded off a storybook night.
2) Drivers’ annual dinner
The now-traditional drivers’ dinner brought almost the entire grid together for one last relaxed evening. The group photo flooded social media, with jokes about dress codes, wagers and friendly banter. It’s become a wholesome paddock tradition and a reminder of camaraderie before the season’s final pressure.
3) Emotional goodbyes
The weekend doubled as a farewell stage. Yuki Tsunoda ran his final race as a full-time driver before moving to a reserve role in 2026; he swapped helmets with Pierre Gasly in a touching moment and enjoyed celebrity send-offs in the garage. Sauber marked the end of its long chapter in F1 with founder Peter Sauber visiting as the team prepares to become Audi next season. Valtteri Bottas was celebrated ahead of his move to Cadillac—complete with the usual photobombs, media slots and a post-race harbour toss—one last display of his offbeat charm.
4) The last DRS
After more than a decade of changing overtaking dynamics, DRS had its final outing in Abu Dhabi before new regulations arrive. Teams and drivers shared playful tributes on social media, and Kimi Antonelli had the honour of activating the final DRS opening—an unexpectedly sentimental moment for a piece of F1 tech.
5) FP1 rookie radio chaos
Nine rookies took FP1 reps, producing some classic confusion over team radios. Ferrari ran Arthur Leclerc alongside brother Charles, prompting engineers to improvise nicknames (“Leclerc Junior,” “the big Leclerc”) and leading to lighthearted mix-ups. Other teams experienced scrambled name calls and nervous engineers; the result was a series of funny, human radio exchanges that kept fans smiling.
6) Paddock glamour and Glambot
Yas Marina’s celebrity energy met F1’s spectacle with Cole Walliser’s Glambot on hand for slow-motion poses. Drivers queued for their cinematic moments—power stances, crossed arms and comedic hits, including a Bottas moustache special—bringing a Hollywood vibe to the paddock.
7) Family moments and milestones
Several drivers shared intimate family moments: Isack Hadjar invited his father into the garage for a garage walkaround and even a sit in the car, while Nico Hülkenberg gave his daughter a supervised run behind the wheel. Hülkenberg also celebrated 250 races with a gladiator-themed helmet and fought from 18th to ninth on race day. Special helmets were a theme across teams: Williams went purple to mark their season, Carlos Sainz honoured his mascot “Sparkles,” Charles Leclerc marked 150 races for Ferrari, and Lewis Hamilton closed his first Scuderia season with a glittering mirror-gold lid.
8) Star-studded finale
A title decider of this scale pulled a huge celebrity crowd. Ana de Armas waved the final chequered flag and spent time in multiple garages. The weekend also drew sports stars (tennis, football, cricket, boxing), musicians and DJs (from Camila Cabello to Metallica, and DJs like Peggy Gou and Carl Cox), actors and global influencers, making Yas Marina feel like a festival as well as a grand prix.
Abu Dhabi once again balanced high-stakes racing with human, celebratory and sentimental moments—goodbyes, firsts and cultural spectacle all in one season-closing weekend.