Max Verstappen Wins Abu Dhabi But Lando Norris is The World Champion

The 2025 Formula One season concluded in spectacular fashion at Yas Marina Circuit, with Lando Norris lifting his first World Championship and Max Verstappen taking the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victory. Oscar Piastri completed a McLaren one-two, highlighting the team’s dominance in a season-long title battle.

Verstappen leads from pole

Max Verstappen started from pole ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The Dutchman launched cleanly and led the early laps, but his win alone could not stop Norris from claiming the championship. For the McLaren driver, a podium finish was enough, but the early stages were far from simple.

Tsunoda briefly challenges Norris

Yuki Tsunoda, starting on hard tyres in his farewell race for Red Bull, became an unexpected obstacle for Norris. The Japanese driver held up the Briton in the early laps, forcing Norris to navigate through a DRS train and make daring overtakes. Norris eventually sliced past Tsunoda in a bold move, reclaiming clear track and restoring his championship trajectory. Tsunoda’s role underlined the importance of strategic tyre use and track positioning in the final race.

McLaren’s strategy pays off

McLaren’s strategy team executed perfectly. Piastri, on hard tyres, stayed out longer to control the pace and provide a buffer, while Norris made his pit stop and fought through traffic with decisive overtakes, including a two-car pass down the main straight. Zak Brown later confirmed the early driver swap was planned to maximise their championship chances.

Verstappen and the race win

Verstappen dominated on track, claiming his eighth win of 2025 and fifth victory in Abu Dhabi. However, the Dutchman’s efforts were insufficient to reclaim the championship, as McLaren’s consistency across the season proved decisive. Piastri finished second, giving McLaren a one-two finish.

Charles Leclerc and George Russell mounted challenges in the midfield but could not influence the championship fight. Leclerc briefly pressured Norris, while Russell battled tyre issues. Lewis Hamilton made progress from P16 but could not impact the podium.

Championship confirmed

As the laps ticked down, Norris maintained third place. Verstappen crossed the line first, Piastri second, and Norris third, enough for the Briton to secure the 2025 World Championship by 12 points over Verstappen. The title is a reward for resilience and strategy, capping a season that saw Norris recover from a 34-point deficit at Zandvoort.

The Abu Dhabi finale also marked farewells for Tsunoda and the Sauber name, which will become Audi next season. Meanwhile, 2025 was the last year for this era of ground-effect cars, with major regulation changes arriving in 2026.