Lando Norris has won the 2025 Formula One World Drivers’ Championship, edging Red Bull star Max Verstappen by just two points.

The 2025 Formula 1 season concluded dramatically at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, with fans treated to a rare three-way title fight on the final day. Verstappen and McLaren teammates Norris and Oscar Piastri all entered the finale within reach of the championship. 

It was the first finale of its kind since 2010, when Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, and Mark Webber all remained in contention at the last race. 

Verstappen started on pole and took victory after 58 laps of the Yas Marina Circuit, but it wasn’t enough to overturn the standings. Norris, who finished third, secured his maiden World Championship by the narrowest of margins. 

His race contained a moment of fortune: the McLaren driver briefly ran off-track while overtaking Yuki Tsunoda on lap 23, but the stewards opted not to issue a penalty. 

After the race, the 26-year-old delivered an emotional interview, admitting: “I've dreamed of this for so long… It’s been a while since I cried.” 

Norris’ triumph completes a historic double for McLaren, who earlier clinched the 2025 Constructors’ Championship.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Norris paid tribute to his team: “We’ve been through a lot together. I wanted to do it with McLaren from the beginning, and they are just as much a part of this. I’m very happy we won both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles together.” 

For Verstappen, it was a bittersweet day. Despite the disappointment of falling two points short, he praised his rival, telling the media: “I don’t see it as losing. He has had a very good season. It has been a tough battle between him and Oscar. Winning your first is so special—everyone on the grid wishes for that moment.” 

Verstappen finished second in the championship on 421 points, two behind Norris and 11 ahead of Oscar Piastri, who ended the season third with 410 points. 

Elsewhere, George Russell of Mercedes and Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton completed the top six in the standings. 

McLaren’s stellar year caps a historic season for the world’s premier motorsport, as Formula One celebrated its 75th anniversary with a record 24 races across five continents. Attendance hit all-time highs—3.9 million fans across the first 14 races—while global viewership rose 23% in key markets such as the United States, helped by celebrity appearances tied to F1: The Movie which was released mid season in the summer.