Fittipaldi. Hunt. Lauda. Prost. Senna. Häkkinen. Hamilton. And now… Norris. After a thrilling race in Abu Dhabi to conclude the 2025 Formula One season, the Briton added his name to McLaren’s roster of world champions.
After going full Sinatra and winning it ‘my way’, the 26-year-old Lando Norris—like so many others—fulfilled a lifelong ambition to become an F1 world champion.
“I now know what Max feels like a little bit,” he said after the race, “and I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season. It’s been a pleasure to race against both of them.
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“I’ve learned a lot from both of them as well,” he added.
As for the unstoppable Max Verstappen, he said after the race: “Honestly, we maximized everything that we could. We put it on pole, and we won the race. There’s really not much that I could have done differently.”
And as for the season as a whole? “Massive rollercoaster for us. Of course, the first half had some nice moments, but mainly tough moments—some really tough races and feelings. But I’m also very proud of how we never gave up.
“And again, that’s also a lesson for the future, for everyone, that even when it looks like you’re out of it, you never give up. You keep working hard to try and understand your issues, and then you never know what can happen.” Wise words from the four-time champion… who just narrowly missed out equalling Schuey’s record of five consecutive wins.
What about Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri, who for much of the year was looking like the more likely victor come Abu Dhabi? “There wasn’t anything left out there,” he said about the race. “We didn’t have an answer to Max’s pace. Not much more we could have done.”
Of his third season in Formula One, he had this to say: “Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending, but I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a race car driver, myself as a person.
“And I think even in the tough moments, I’ve learned a lot about myself and how I can be stronger in the future,” he added.
About his teammate and rival taking the top spot, he said, graciously: “We’ve pushed each other through the last three years. This season has been tighter than ever. I think he’s had a great season. Probably all three of us, but myself and Lando in the same team, in the same car, have had our ups and downs at different moments.
“Ultimately I think he’s had a good season and [is] a deserving champion.”
So, now it’s your turn to talk—how would you rate the 2025 season as a whole? Have your say in the comments.
NOTE: This story first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
