Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent in Abu Dhabi

Image source, Getty Images

McLaren's Lando Norris won his first Formula 1 drivers' championship by finishing third in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old won the title by two points from Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who won the race to take his eighth victory of the year, one more than the Briton and his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

McLaren were always in control of a race packed with tension even though Verstappen was on course for victory from the first lap, because Piastri finished second and was in a position to help Norris if needed.

Read the full report here

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Thank you, 2025 season, but it's time to say goodbye.

After 24 races and plenty of drama, Britain's Lando Norris has secured his maiden world championship at the finale in Abu Dhabi.

The McLaren driver finishes two points clear of four-time title winner Max Verstappen in the standings, with his team-mate Oscar Piastri ending his campaign in third place.

Well done, Lando. Do us all proud and party the night away.

Image source, PA Media

Great to have your company all year, folks. Enjoy your Christmas and New Year and then get ready for a whole new era for Formula 1 when we return.

Fresh technical rules, a brand new team, familiar faces back on the grid and an 18-year-old Brit rookie joining the cast. It's all go in 2026.

Pre-season testing gets under way with a private test in Barcelona, 26-30 January, followed by two tests in Bahrain, from 11-13 and 18-20 February.

The season-opener in Australia takes place 6-8 March.

We'll see you next year!

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent in Abu Dhabi

Image source, Getty Images

Lando Norris becomes the 11th British F1 world champion at the end of his seventh season in F1, a year that he started slowly but in which he came on strong in the second half of the year.

And it is McLaren's first drivers' and constructors' title double since 1998.

Image source, Getty Images

Lando Norris speaking to Sky Sports: "It's pretty cool, it's pretty insane, it is hard for me to say it. It's been a season of ups and downs. Has it been perfect? absolutely not, I've had my struggles and my fortune. Winning the championship is about consistency. I focused on myself.

"I am happy I cried, I didn't know if I was going to. I thought of my mum and that thought made me cry. I got a bit more emotional, pretty amazing day.

"Last few laps, it was fairly relaxed. I almost had more problems when I tried to relax a bit. I don't think Will even said it was the last lap.

"What makes it better is I get to share it with the team. We have been through a lot together. I wanted to do it with McLaren since the beginning and I feel like they are just as much as part of it, so I'm very happy we got the drivers and constructors' titles together."

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton, speaking to Sky Sports, on getting through a difficult season: "I've had amazing support from so many people who travel around the world to support me, my fans have been what's kept me going, they've been my rock, my family have been phenomenal supporters.

"Luckily, I have got good people around me. Each weekend, I see kids and adults rooting me on and reminding me why I do what I do, which is not to give up, and I am really appreciative."

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Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but missed out on the drivers' championship by two points: "I think we've had a rollercoaster of a year, especially in the beginning. But I think how we have turned it around and the results we have achieved after honestly, having tough times after a race where you just don't know why it's this bad and that inconsistent. It is not easy.

"The team has really showed they never give up. It's easy to say 'this is it, it's 100 points+ and the season is done', but they always kept trying to understand the issues and we really did.

"It's been really fun, the fightback has been really fun. At the end it doesn't matter if you finish behind by one point, 10 points or 20 points. You're behind. It's two points at the end, but it's been cool. I've been enjoying it."

On being inspired by Red Bull: "It just shows the team is united, they are fighters. At times, I also didn't feel great. But, we lifted each other up when we needed to."

On losing the championship to Lando Norris: "I don't see it like 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 the moment."

Damon Hill
1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live in Abu Dhabi

The hours and hours have gone into these cars, it's just phenomenal, a real team effort to engineer them and find those tiny, tiny gains.

You look at this car and you realise everything on it means something, it's not there for any other reason than to make the car go faster and help the driver win a championship.

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McLaren team principal Andrea Stella speaking to Sky Sports: "We would say best Sunday, best race, best championship, it's very, very high in this classification.

"I was reflecting actually on this one while I was in the garage taking a bit of a breath and processing it, it made me think of 2010 when we didn't win with Ferrari here.

"It was a close gap even in that case and it's two points and it can go one way or the another, sometimes it's just a matter of details.

"It came after a couple of difficult races, we made our life more difficult than ideal, but I'm just so proud.

"Being proud of the team is my main feeling at the moment. Being proud of everyone and everyone responded to the call this season, and the call to elevate the game compared to last season.

"The demand has been huge, two drivers in the contest and trying to do it the McLaren way, trying to be fair and respectful, it has been a lot of work.

"The team has been so united, even with bumps in the road."

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Bit more from McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who gave his thoughts to Sky Sports about his season overall: "When things have been good this year, I've felt unstoppable at points and to even be able to get to that point is a pretty cool feeling.

"There has been plenty of times when that has not been the case and I think I've learnt a lot of lessons on how to deal with tough moments and adversity from different directions.

"Ultimately, I've learnt a lot about myself and I've been in championship battles in the junior categories, but in F1 you've got a little bit extra to it.

"I've learnt plenty about that this year and I think that will only help me going forward."

Image source, Getty Images

Oscar Piastri, who finished second in Abu Dhabi and third in the championship, speaking to Sky Sports: "I think today yes [I can be satisfied], we gave it everything. We tried a bit of a gamble on strategy and tried absolutely everything to try and win the race and give ourselves the best chance to win a championship.

On what he's learned from Lando Norris: "It's been a fun challenge, at certain points maybe it doesn't feel that fun, but it has been a really enjoyable season for both of us and I'm saying that as the person who isn't champion.

"I've learnt plenty of things along the way and I think over the last three years I've learnt things every weekend from what Lando [Norris] does, and it's nice to know it goes both ways.

"There's plenty more years to come of intense weekends and tight battles, but ultimately, I think that has made both of us better drivers and in some ways contributed to the success that both of us have his this year."

Image source, Getty Images

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton on Lando Norris winning the championship: "I'm really happy for him. Winning your first World Championship is truly special.

"[The] UK continues to pump out great drivers, and I know what the feeling is also when you're coming into this race and fighting for your first championship, it's nerve-wracking. I'm just really proud of him.

"Before the weekend, I told him what he does works, so don't change anything, and I guess that's what he did."

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McLaren boss Zak Brown had a lot of enthusiasm for Oscar Piastri's campaign over the team radio at the end of the race, calling the Australian a future world champion.

Piastri was 34 points clear following victory at the Dutch Grand Prix but a disappointing run in the final third of the year saw him overtaken in the standings by both team-mate and title winner Lando Norris and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

"It's been a great season trying to beat each other," said Piastri on his battles with Norris.

"Tried our best to get there but it wasn't quite to be."

Image source, Getty Images

Lando Norris speaking to Sky Sports about his team-mate Oscar Piastri: "The first season was very tough, I'm lucky the team have given me an incredible car. Oscar has done an incredible job and I'm glad I've had him the last three years. I've learnt a lot from him, and my other team-mates, Carlos and Daniel, but he made me dig deeper than I have ever had to before.

"More than anything, I want to enjoy the moment but give thanks to Oscar and Max.

"But to Oscar, no-one knows how hard it can be to have team-mates fighting for the championship. It is tougher than one car, we take points off each other, strategy is more difficult. I have to give a congrats to Oscar, he's driven incredibly, at some point he will get the better of me, as he is an incredible driver. I've got a lot more seasons with him."

The constructors' championship ends with Mercedes claiming the runners-up spot, 18 points clear of third-placed Red Bull. Ferrari have a lot to think about before the new era kicks in next year, as the Italian team end a difficult year fourth in the table.

Williams wrapped up fifth last week in Qatar and Racing Bulls secure sixth spot ahead of Aston Martin and Haas.

Image source, Getty Images

More from 2025 World Champion Lando Norris on his season and his family's support: "My best performance this year came when I needed them the most, the second half of the season when I was a little bit on the back foot, that's when I did the best, when I showed the most in me.

"I'm proud, I've got my family here, my girlfriend here, I would hate to embarrass them, I'm proud, I managed to do them happy.

This is for my mum and dad, they let me chase this dream."

Fresh off sealing his first F1 world title, we look at Lando Norris' journey from karting wonderkid to McLaren’s leading man.

We hear how Norris caught the attention of Fernando Alonso before he reached F1 and how he has long seemed destined for the top of his sport, as key figures who worked with him through the junior categories told BBC Sport.

Read the full story here

Image source, Getty Images

This is how the top 10 of the drivers' championship looks after the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Lando Norris beats race winner Max Verstappen to the crown by two points, with McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, who was ahead of his rivals for so long in this title fight, finishing third, 13 points off the top spot.

Lewis Hamilton keeps hold of his sixth place after a great recovery drive from P16 to eighth at the chequered flag, while Fernando Alonso has gone from 12th to 10th in the standings after finishing sixth in Abu Dhabi.

Damon Hill
1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live in Abu Dhabi

It's a little bit of a change in the script for Max [Verstappen], he came so close and he put pressure on everyone. He was quite happy to point out the weaknesses or help highlight the opponents that he was up against.

They did everything they could but it wasn't to be this time, there was too much to do and too much to overturn.

Mums can still embarrass you, even if you are a Formula 1 world champion. Cisca Norris has reached Sky Sports and while chatting about her son travelling here, there and everywhere during his karting days, she comments how sad it became when Norris was not around. "Playing with the tractor, naked in the garden, that was all done." Muuuuuuuum!

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Lando Norris' mum Cisca speaking to BBC 5 Live's Steve Crossman: "It's overwhelming, emotional, draining, but we backed Lando in all the good and all the bad times.

"We always stood on his side, but not just Lando, it was all the children. It's a dream come true for Lando, that's for sure.

"Tomorrow is like another day, you know, I just want to be with Lando now but I'm sure he's being taken away. It's brilliant and lovely, I can't express it, I'm lost for words really."