The season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix promised drama with three drivers still in contention for the World Championship — the first time that’s happened in 15 years. Max Verstappen took the race victory at Yas Marina, but Lando Norris secured his maiden Drivers’ Championship, while team mate Oscar Piastri finished the season third despite a spectacular opening-lap move on Norris.
Norris crowned F1 World Champion for the first time
Lando Norris had led the standings since Round 20 in Mexico, but the closing rounds tested his advantage. A double disqualification for McLaren in Las Vegas and a strategy error in Qatar, together with a late charge of wins from Max Verstappen, cut Norris’s lead to just 12 points heading into Abu Dhabi. A podium would be enough to seal the title.
The race was tense for much of its duration, especially as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc briefly ran third after Piastri’s daring first-lap outside pass on Norris at the banked Turn 9. As Leclerc’s pace faded later on, Norris was able to secure third place on the road and, as the result settled in, the 26-year-old became emotional on learning he had clinched his first F1 World Championship — the 35th different champion in F1 history. Norris paid tribute to his team, family and rivals, saying the achievement felt “incredible” and “surreal,” and reflecting on the long-term dream of winning a title.
Verstappen wins the race, but just misses out
Verstappen knew he needed a win and some misfortune for Norris to claim a fifth consecutive Drivers’ title. After taking pole at Yas Marina, the Red Bull driver produced a composed, dominant drive to take his eighth victory of the season and keep his championship hopes alive to the final lap. However, Norris’s P3 was enough to deny Verstappen the crown by a narrow two-point margin.
Despite the disappointment, Verstappen highlighted the remarkable turnaround from being over 100 points adrift mid-season to finishing the year so strongly. He praised his team’s work and said he was proud of their recovery, acknowledging that not winning the championship “isn’t something I’ll be too sad about.”
Piastri settles for third in the standings after epic pass
Oscar Piastri entered Abu Dhabi needing an extraordinary result to overturn a 16-point gap to team mate Norris. He provided a highlight of the season by sweeping around the outside of Norris at Turn 9 on the opening lap — one of the overtakes of the year. Starting on the hard tyre compared to Verstappen and Norris on mediums, Piastri shadowed Verstappen and took the lead when the Red Bull pitted, holding the position through the middle stages.
Piastri switched to mediums later and could not catch Verstappen, finishing the race behind the winner and leaving the championship 13 points short. He reflected on giving his best and expressed pride in his season’s work, even if the ending was not what he hoped for.
Teams’ standings finalised
With the drivers’ battle decided, the Teams’ Championship positions were also settled. Mercedes secured second in the standings — helped by George Russell’s P5 in the race — finishing 18 points ahead of Red Bull, with Ferrari a further 53 points back in fourth. Williams had already locked in P5 in Qatar.
Racing Bulls finished sixth, while Aston Martin ended up P7 in the race thanks to Fernando Alonso (P6) and Lance Stroll (P10), leaving them three points behind Racing Bulls. Haas claimed eighth with Esteban Ocon’s strong result, Kick Sauber (soon to become Audi) took ninth in the Teams’ table helped by Nico Hülkenberg’s P9 in the race, and Alpine failed to score, finishing last in the standings 48 points adrift.
Star-studded attendance
The title-deciding finale drew a high-profile crowd. Actress Ana de Armas waved the chequered flag for the race winner after being shown around the Ferrari garage by Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren garage hosted singer Katy Perry and musician Benson Boone ahead of Norris’s title. Sporting guests included tennis star Jannik Sinner and football legends Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho.
Summary
– Lando Norris clinched his first F1 World Championship with a third-place finish in Abu Dhabi.
– Max Verstappen won the race from pole but missed the title by two points.
– Oscar Piastri produced a standout outside pass on Norris at Turn 9, finished strongly, and ended the season third in the standings.
– Mercedes finished second in the Teams’ Championship, Red Bull third, Ferrari fourth; Williams, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, Haas, Kick Sauber and Alpine completed the order.
– The Yas Marina finale featured celebrity guests including Ana de Armas, Katy Perry, Jannik Sinner, Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho.