Lando Norris wins first F1 World Championship, ends Verstappen’s four-year reign

McLaren driver Lando Norris shed tears of joy and relief as he won his first Formula 1 title and ended Max Verstappen’s four-year reign with a nervy third place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.

Completing the season with the most wins (eight), Red Bull pilot Verstappen achieved victory at the end of the season, 12.5 seconds behind the checkered flag and second to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Norris, who became England’s 11th Formula 1 world champion at the age of 26, increased his points to 423, Verstappen to 421 and Piastri to 410.
McLaren won the constructors’ championship for the second time in a row in October, and won both championships in the same season for the first time since 1998.

Speaking emotionally in a post-race interview after shedding tears into his helmet on the slow lap at the Yas Marina circuit, Norris said: “I haven’t cried in a while. I didn’t think I would cry, but I did.”

“It feels great. Now I know a little bit how Max feels. I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, who were my two biggest rivals throughout the season. It was a pleasure, an honor, to compete against them both. I learned a lot from both of them,” he added.
NO FIVE FOR VERSTAPPENNorris’ mother Cisca gave Piastri a comforting hug, while both Verstappen and the Australian congratulated the new champion in a show of sportsmanship.

The victory prevented Verstappen from making it five consecutive titles; This is something only Ferrari great Michael Schumacher has ever achieved. “We can be really proud of the fight we showed in the second half of the season,” the Dutch pilot, who was 104 points behind then-leader Piastri at the end of August, said on the team radio. “So don’t be too disappointed. I’m definitely not. I’m really proud of everyone for not giving up,” he said.