The anticipation couldn’t have been greater forward of the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with three drivers nonetheless in competition to clinch the World Championship on the remaining race for the primary time in 15 years.
Max Verstappen scored an eighth victory of the marketing campaign on the Yas Marina Circuit – nevertheless it was Lando Norris who secured his maiden Drivers’ Championship title, whereas McLaren staff mate Oscar Piastri needed to accept third within the standings regardless of a memorable overtake on Norris throughout Lap 1.
For all that and extra, listed here are the important thing moments from Abu Dhabi…
Norris topped F1 World Champion for the primary time
Regardless of main the Drivers’ Championship standings since Spherical 20 in Mexico, Lando Norris’ journey in the direction of a possible first title didn’t precisely run easily through the remaining rounds of the marketing campaign.
Whereas victory in Sao Paulo strengthened his maintain on the crown, a double disqualification for McLaren in Las Vegas adopted by a method misfire from the squad in Qatar – coupled with a run of wins for Max Verstappen – had seen his benefit minimize all the way down to solely 12 factors arriving into the finale.
Admittedly the percentages remained in his favour, with a podium being sufficient to take the crown – however that top-three spot sometimes regarded underneath menace through the race in Abu Dhabi, with Norris being chased by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as he ran in third following a first-lap overtake by Oscar Piastri (extra on which beneath).
Nevertheless, as that cost from Leclerc fell away within the latter levels, Norris was capable of breathe just a little extra simply earlier than crossing the road in third place, and the 26-year-old grew to become emotional because the information sunk in that he had earned a maiden F1 World Championship.
After paying tribute to the help of his staff and household, in addition to his title rivals Verstappen and Piastri, Norris – who’s now the thirty fifth driver in F1 historical past to win the title – reflected: “It is unimaginable. Fairly surreal.
“I’ve dreamed of this for a very long time, everybody does. Rather a lot goes right into a season like this, lot of ups, lot of downs, however none of that issues so long as you try to come out on high, and that is what we managed to do with an unimaginable staff.”
Verstappen wins the race, however simply misses out
As touched on above, Verstappen didn’t make issues simple for Norris in a closely-fought battle for the championship that went proper all the way down to the wire.
Off the again of his triumphs in Las Vegas and Qatar, the Red Bull man knew he needed to win once more – and hope for some drama behind him – as a way to take a fifth consecutive World Championship. As such, he put himself in the absolute best place to take action by grabbing a formidable pole in Qualifying on the Yas Marina Circuit.
From there Verstappen loved a dominant drive to his eighth win of the season, the 28-year-old not placing a foot unsuitable as he did all he may to maintain his title hopes alive. However with Norris sealing that important third place, the #1 will in the end transfer over to the Briton’s automobile in 2026 ought to he want to have it.
The ultimate outcome meant that Verstappen missed out on the Drivers’ Championship by a mere two factors – and regardless of admitting that this may look “painful”, the four-time World Champion spoke of his satisfaction at how he and Purple Bull had managed to get themselves again into the struggle, having been greater than 100 factors behind after Spherical 15 at Zandvoort.
“The turnaround has been enjoyable, and in the present day has been enjoyable,” Verstappen explained after the race. “We didn’t win the championship, okay, that occurs, that’s life, and it’s not one thing that I’ll be too unhappy about. I imply, life goes on.
“I’m simply very pleased with the folks I work with, they’re my second household, and we are going to get pleasure from this second. We are going to benefit from the second half of the season, be pleased with that, and subsequent yr goes to be a giant query mark for everybody anyway.”
Piastri settles for third within the standings after epic go
With a 16-point margin to make up on staff mate Norris, Piastri wanted to do one thing particular in Abu Dhabi and hope for misfortune to befall his staff mate.
Whereas the latter did not happen as Norris secured a maiden F1 title with P3, the Australian produced some magic and pulled off one of many overtakes of the season, going across the outdoors of his staff mate on the banked Flip 9 on the opening lap.
Having shadowed race chief Verstappen, Piastri took the lead when the Purple Bull driver pitted and held the place till the latter levels of the race after beginning on the exhausting Pirelli rubber, compared to Verstappen and Norris on the medium.
Having rejoined on the medium tyre in second, Piastri was unable to shut the hole to Verstappen and was left in need of a maiden world title by 13 factors.
“I attempted my greatest and put myself in the very best place I may to try to win the race and provides myself the very best alternative, nevertheless it wasn’t to be,” the 24-year-old said.
“I believe we may be very pleased with the season we’ve had. On a private degree, it’s clearly not fairly the ending that I needed for however I believe while you take a look at the season as an entire, I’m very pleased with the work that I’ve been capable of put in.”
The Groups’ standings are finalised
Away from the Drivers’ title battle, the ultimate placings within the Teams’ Championship have been up for grabs and, with it, hundreds of thousands in prize cash.
With George Russell P5 within the race, Mercedes claimed second within the standings by 18 factors from Purple Bull, with Ferrari an extra 53 factors again in fourth.
Neither Carlos Sainz or Alex Albon completed within the factors, although Williams had already secured P5 in Qatar, as Racing Bulls took sixth with Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson additionally not ending contained in the top-10 in Abu Dhabi.
A P6 and P10 end for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll ensured Aston Martin completed P7, simply three factors behind Racing Bulls, whereas they have been 10 factors away from Haas, the American outfit taking seventh within the race on the Yas Marina Circuit with Esteban Ocon.
In Kick Sauber‘s remaining race earlier than turning into Audi, the Swiss-based staff completed ninth within the Groups’ Championship as Nico Hulkenberg reached the factors in P9, with Alpine failing to attain and 48 factors adrift in final.
A star-studded attendance for the title-deciding finale
The nice and the great from the world of showbusiness and sport attended the ultimate race of the season to see who would declare this yr’s Drivers’ Championship.
Actress Ana de Armas was readily available to wave the chequered flag for race winner Verstappen on Sunday, having been proven across the Ferrari storage by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.
Forward of Norris’ first Drivers’ title, the McLaren storage was additionally graced by the presence of singer/songwriter Katy Perry, with fellow American musician Benson Boone additionally making an look.
From the sporting world, tennis star Jannik Sinner made the journey, as did footballing legends Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho.
