Lando Norris has become Britain’s newest Formula One world champion after holding his nerve through a tense title decider in Abu Dhabi, securing his first championship and ending the country’s five-year wait for another motorsport hero.
The 26-year-old McLaren driver, who grew up in Bristol and has long spoken of idolising Lewis Hamilton, finished third in the season finale, enough to clinch the title by just two points after a fiercely fought contest with Max Verstappen and team-mate Oscar Piastri. He becomes the 11th British world champion, and the first since Hamilton sealed his seventh crown in 2020.
Norris cut an emotional figure as he crossed the line, breaking down on the team radio before being congratulated by McLaren CEO Zak Brown.
“Thank you guys. You made a kid’s dream true,” he told the team through tears. “I love you mum, I love you dad. Thanks for everything.”
Norris entered the final race with his title hopes shaken after he and Piastri were disqualified from the previous grand prix for a technical infringement, an episode that dramatically reopened the championship battle and ignited questions about whether he could hold his nerve.
Starting second behind Verstappen, Norris was passed by Piastri on the opening lap, briefly putting his title hopes under strain. But the McLaren driver steadied himself, managed his pace and executed a calculated, mistake-free drive to bank the points he needed.
Verstappen, seeking a fifth consecutive title, and Piastri, chasing his maiden crown, pushed relentlessly across 90 minutes of strategic tension — but neither could overhaul the Briton’s points advantage.
As soon as Norris stepped out of the Papaya-orange McLaren, helmet off and eyes red, cheers erupted around Yas Marina. His mother, Cisca Norris, was the first to embrace him, followed by Piastri and senior team members.
“I haven’t cried in a while,” Norris admitted in parc fermé. “I didn’t think I would cry, but I did. It’s been such a long journey. Not many people get to experience this in Formula One. I’m very proud of myself , but I’m even more proud of everyone in the team.”
Norris’s path to the summit has been shaped by years of graft, global travel and family support. The son of business founder Adam Norris, who built e-mobility company Pure, Lando started karting at six, left school early to pursue motorsport full-time, and quickly rose through Europe’s junior categories before joining McLaren’s F1 programme.
His father, speaking moments after the chequered flag, said: “It’s been a really long, hard journey. Longer than you’d think. There’s been a lot of travelling to weird and wonderful places. He has always been fast and loved it more than everyone else.”
Celebrities including Emily Ratajkowski, Gordon Ramsay and Thierry Henry watched the drama unfold from the Abu Dhabi paddock.
Norris’s partner, model and actress Magui Corceiro, was in the McLaren garage throughout, and was visibly emotional as he became world champion. The couple, who have been together on and off for two years, embraced trackside as the celebrations began.
The championship marks a watershed moment for McLaren, who only a few seasons ago were battling near the back of the grid. Under Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella, the team has undergone a sweeping transformation, culminating in one of the most impressive competitive resurgences in recent F1 history.
Norris, who has spent his entire Formula One career at McLaren, paid tribute to the team’s revival.
“We’ve been through very difficult times and some great times. This year, we fought to the very last laps,” he said. “Max and Oscar didn’t make it easy, but that’s what makes this feel so special.”
Norris now joins a lineage that includes Sir Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Damon Hill, Jenson Button and Hamilton, but his arrival as champion feels distinctly modern. A driver shaped by both digital-era fandom and classic racing discipline, he has become one of Formula One’s most popular figures far beyond the British Isles.
And now, officially, a world champion.
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Lando Norris crowned Formula One world champion after nail-biting Abu Dhabi finale