In a night of high drama and raw emotion under the lights of the Yas Marina Circuit, Lando Norris was crowned the Formula One world champion, securing his place in history as the 11th British driver to win the title.
Emotional Triumph After Tense Title Decider
The McLaren driver sealed the championship by finishing third in a nail-biting Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by just two points in the final standings. An overwhelmed Norris broke down in tears in his cockpit after taking the chequered flag, wiping them away through his open visor before declaring to the world, 'I did it my way.'
He then stepped out to embrace his family, including father Adam and mother Cisca, and his Portuguese girlfriend Margarida Corceira, along with his elated McLaren team. 'I dreamed of this for a long, long time,' Norris said. 'A lot goes into a season like this, a lot of ups and downs but none of that matters as long as you come out on top.'
Winning 'My Way': Norris Reflects on His Style
The Bristol-born, Glastonbury-raised driver reflected on a rollercoaster season where he was 34 points behind teammate Oscar Piastri as recently as the end of August. He owned up to mistakes but expressed pride in his distinctive, less-aggressive approach to racing.
'I believe I won the championship this year my way, by being a fair and honest driver,' Norris stated. He questioned whether a more ruthless style would have served him better but concluded, 'I performed the way I needed to do to win the world championship and that is all I needed to do.'
Verstappen's Magnanimous Defeat
Race winner Max Verstappen, who took eight victories during the season, was gracious in defeat despite missing out on a fifth world title. When asked if he regretted a controversial incident in Spain where he deliberately collided with George Russell, costing him nine potentially crucial points, the Dutchman was defiant.
'You forget all the other stuff that happened in my season,' Verstappen replied. 'A championship is won over 24 rounds and I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me in the second half of the season.' He maintained he had driven better than ever, despite the final result.
As fireworks lit the Abu Dhabi sky, the celebrations for Norris and McLaren began, marking the culmination of a 17-year dream for the new champion who proved that success can indeed be achieved on one's own terms.
