ABU DHABI: McLaren’s Lando Norris secured his first world drivers’ championship by narrowly holding off a late-season charge from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, in Formula 1’s climactic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

While Verstappen secured a race victory in commanding fashion from pole position, his eighth win of the campaign, Norris finished a crucial third place behind his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, an outcome that sealed the title by a razor-thin margin of just two points.

The race was a masterclass in strategic defence for the 25-year-old Briton. Starting second, Norris was immediately demoted to third by a brilliant turn nine move from Piastri on the opening lap.

The intense middle stint saw him embroiled in a tense scrap with Charles Leclerc and a penalised Yuki Tsunoda, but Norris kept his composure, managing tyre wear and pit stop strategy perfectly to remain firmly on the podium.

Piastri, finishing second on the day, was a loyal supporter of the team’s championship cause, ensuring maximum points for McLaren and keeping Verstappen’s potential points haul to a minimum. The Australian finished third in the overall standings, making it a historic double-podium finish for the Woking team.

For Max Verstappen, the race win was a bittersweet end to his dynasty. The four-time champion did everything in his power, but ultimately the points gap proved insurmountable.

Norris’s title win, the first for a British driver since 2020 and the first for McLaren in over a decade, brings a stunning conclusion to a season that showcased extraordinary consistency and nerve under the most intense pressure.

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