Lando Norris is F1 world champion: here are the final standings

Verstappen set out to win the race and Norris to win the World Championship. That is exactly what happened in an Abu Dhabi Grand Prix defined by a steady, tense calm that offered little excitement beyond the fireworks celebrating Lando’s first F1 title.

Max won at Yas Marina with complete ease, avoiding any late chaos, and his team also chose not to exploit the chance to stir things up in the final laps. Piastri was the quicker McLaren after overtaking his teammate at the start. Norris didn’t need to take risks, nor did he lift off unnecessarily as he threaded his way through a tight line of cars after his tyre change and steered clear of a dangerous move from Tsunoda.

He simply had to do the maths and, with third place, secured the crown by two points after an unforgettable season. He even had a point to spare.

At the start, Max blocked the leading McLaren. Heading down the back straight, it was surprising to see Piastri attack Norris around the outside of turn nine, especially given that the Australian had started on hard tyres. Those with nothing to lose take more risks, and that was no exception.

Lando fended off a couple of attempts behind Leclerc and quickly settled into third place. Behind them, Alonso passed Russell off the line and pressed his wheel into the Ferrari, although once he lost DRS, the Mercedes took back what was theirs.

Norris pitted early on lap 16 of 58 to cover undercut attempts from Russell or Leclerc. This committed him to a two-stop strategy. He rejoined in ninth behind a tight group of cars that could have complicated his afternoon, but he dealt with them within a couple of laps through a mix of aggression and precision.

His biggest headache was Tsunoda; when someone’s time is running out, you know what can happen. The Red Bull driver defended aggressively but only held out for half a lap, pushing Lando onto the grass, though Lando barely seemed bothered. He overtook around the outside of the circuit, clearing his way to build a comfortable gap over those who could threaten his podium.

Verstappen stopped on lap 24 and eventually caught Piastri, who stretched his only stint until lap 42. By then, Lando had already made his second stop to protect himself from Leclerc. At that point, Max had a free pit stop that would have brought him closer to the pack and possibly allowed him to slow things down and create some late uncertainty.

Red Bull chose not to take it; perhaps they didn’t see it clearly, or perhaps they didn’t have enough pace in hand to give McLaren a 25-second margin. Either way, they focused on securing the win against Piastri, who was closing at a second per lap. They didn’t surrender, but nor were there any pirates on the pit wall with knives between their teeth. The tamest version of the Red Bull watched, lap after lap, as a title that had seemed within reach slipped away.

Alonso took a superb sixth place for Aston Martin, ahead of Ocon and Hamilton. It was the Spaniard’s second-best finish of the season. In the early laps, he closed in on the leaders before managing his race with real class, keeping his rivals firmly in his mirrors.

Ferrari ran a two-stop race and had fresher tyres at the end, but Ocon has a reputation as a defence minister for good reason. Haas contained the threat of a seven-time champion now living in midfield territory, that part of the grid with its own set of rules. Sainz came close to the points but finished 13th in a lacklustre Williams.

Nothing happened at the front this time. There was no plot twist, no disqualification, no major strategic errors, no teammate collisions, and no baffling, soft rules. Verstappen won his 71st Grand Prix ahead of Piastri and Norris, but it wasn’t enough for a fifth World Championship. It might come in 2026, or it might never come. Access to winning cars cannot be taken for granted by any great driver; in this sport, momentum is impossible to predict. Max was a worthy runner-up but not a flawless one.

He lost nine points to a needless penalty in Barcelona after colliding with Russell, a penalty that, as we now know, changed the outcome of the season. The most naturally gifted driver of this extraordinary generation has fallen short. With seven wins to Max’s eight, Lando’s tears are worthy of a World Championship title. Long live the new king.

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