The season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix produced a dramatic finish: Max Verstappen won the race at Yas Marina, but Lando Norris secured his first World Drivers’ Championship, with team mate Oscar Piastri completing the year third.
Norris seals maiden title
Lando Norris entered the finale having led the standings since Round 20 in Mexico, but his margin was pared back in the closing rounds. A double disqualification for McLaren in Las Vegas and a strategy misstep in Qatar, coupled with a late run of victories from Verstappen, reduced Norris’s lead to 12 points before Abu Dhabi. He needed only a podium to clinch the crown.
The race was tense early on after Piastri produced a spectacular outside pass on Norris at the banked Turn 9, briefly dropping Norris down the order while Charles Leclerc ran third. As Leclerc’s pace faded, Norris moved back up to third on track and, once the result was confirmed, celebrated as the 35th different champion in Formula 1 history. The 26-year-old paid tribute to his team, family and rivals, describing the achievement as both surreal and the fulfillment of a long-held dream.
Verstappen wins but falls short
Max Verstappen had to win and rely on misfortune for Norris to lose the title. After taking pole, the Red Bull driver delivered a controlled, dominant performance to claim his eighth victory of the season, keeping the championship alive until the final laps. Ultimately Norris’s P3 was enough to deny Verstappen the championship by a narrow two-point margin. Verstappen acknowledged the team’s remarkable recovery from being over 100 points off mid-season, praising their work and expressing pride despite missing out on the title.
Piastri’s bold pass and third place finish
Oscar Piastri arrived in Abu Dhabi needing something extraordinary to overturn a 16-point deficit to his team mate. He provided one of the weekend’s standout moments with a sweeping outside move on Norris at Turn 9 on the opening lap. Starting on the hard tyre while Verstappen and Norris ran mediums, Piastri shadowed the championship protagonists and briefly led when Verstappen pitted. A later switch to mediums left him unable to reel in Verstappen, and Piastri finished behind the winner, ending the season 13 points shy of Norris. He reflected on giving his best and took pride in his campaign.
Teams and final classifications
With the drivers’ title decided, the Constructors’ standings were finalised: Mercedes finished second overall — helped by George Russell’s P5 in the race — 18 points clear of Red Bull, with Ferrari fourth and Williams fifth (already secured in Qatar). Racing Bulls took sixth, Aston Martin seventh (Fernando Alonso P6, Lance Stroll P10), Haas eighth courtesy of Esteban Ocon, Kick Sauber ninth aided by Nico Hülkenberg’s P9, and Alpine were left at the foot of the table, 48 points adrift.
High-profile spectators
The finale drew a star-studded crowd. Actress Ana de Armas waved the chequered flag after visiting the Ferrari garage with Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren paddock hosted singer Katy Perry and musician Benson Boone, while sporting guests included tennis player Jannik Sinner and football greats Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho.
In short: Norris becomes F1 World Champion with a third-place finish; Verstappen wins the race but misses the title by two points; Piastri’s Turn 9 outside pass was a highlight as he finishes third in the championship; Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari complete the top three teams, and the Yas Marina finale featured several celebrity guests.