Lando Norris pulled off an incredible win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, clinching second place in the championship in style. It was a fitting end to what’s been his best F1 season yet.
The race kicked off with some drama when Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri bumped cars early on. Verstappen got slapped with a 10-second penalty for that one, though it didn’t matter much for either driver’s season standings.
The real story was the battle for second place between Norris and Charles Leclerc. Despite starting way back in 19th thanks to a grid penalty, Leclerc showed some serious skill, fighting his way into the points on the very first lap.
But it was Norris’s day to shine. The McLaren driver dominated the race from start to finish, making sure that second place in the championship was his.
Final Championship Standings:
- Max Verstappen: 437 points
- Lando Norris: 374 points
- Charles Leclerc: 356 points
- Oscar Piastri: 292 points
- Carlos Sainz: 290 points
The rest of the top 10 saw George Russell finish sixth with 245 points, while seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton ended up seventh with 223 points. Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top positions.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Norris and McLaren, who struggled at the start of the season but came back stronger than ever. At just 24 years old, Norris has proven he’s got what it takes to challenge at the very top of Formula 1.
The gap to Verstappen’s 437 points shows there’s still work to be done, but McLaren’s late-season form suggests they could be real contenders next year.
