Lando Norris secured his place in history as the 11th British driver to claim the Drivers’ Championship title by finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Going into the race weekend, the 26-year-old held a 12-point lead over the defending champion Max Verstappen, with his teammate Oscar Piastri also in contention, trailing Verstappen by four points.
Despite missing out on a chance to clinch the championship in Qatar due to a strategic error by McLaren, Norris faced intense pressure heading into the Abu Dhabi race. Qualifying saw Norris qualify second behind Verstappen, edging out Piastri for a front-row start.
In the race, Norris lost a position to Piastri early on, but he managed to fend off challenges from Charles Leclerc. After making a crucial pit stop to avoid being undercut, Norris found himself behind a group of cars but ahead of Leclerc. A penalty for Tsunoda allowed Norris to make a decisive move and continue his charge.
As Norris extended his lead over Leclerc, Piastri led the race on a different tire strategy. McLaren reacted by bringing Norris in for a safe final pit stop. With a smooth pit stop, Norris maintained his lead as Piastri made his own stop. Despite Leclerc closing in, Norris managed his tires well to secure the victory and the championship title.
The culmination of Norris’ seven-year journey in Formula 1 marked a triumphant return for British motorsport to the pinnacle of the sport.
