"I managed to show the best of me": Lando Norris as he clinched the the 2025 World Drivers' Championship
- Kavi Khandelwal
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Kavi Khandelwal
The tension of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix evaporated as Lando Norris crossed the line, as the 35th World Champion of Formula One. The emotional outpouring reflected not just the relief of winning the finale, but the sheer weight of a title challenge marked by relentless highs, crushing lows, and a dramatic second-half comeback.
The surreal final lap
For Norris, the moment was the culmination of a lifelong ambition, an immediate release of years of sustained pressure.
"It is incredible. It is pretty surreal. I dreamed of this for a long, long time - I mean everyone does. A lot goes into a second like this, a lot of ups, a lot of downs. But none of that matters if you come out on top. But I did it with an incredible team."
The final moments demanded sheer nerve. Despite the complex championship maths and the pressure from two fierce rivals—Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri—Norris relied on the simple racer's instinct: keep pushing.
"As we've seen many times, anything can happen. So I just kept pushing. I wanted to fight to the end. [Verstappen and Piastri] certainly did not make my life easy this year. But I am happy!"
He acknowledged the intensity of the fight, even referencing the reigning champion's immense drive.
"I now know what Max feels like a little bit! I want to congratulate Max and Oscar as well, it has been a pleasure to race against both of them, and to learn from both of them. But we did it, we did it! I didn't think I would cry but I did. It is a long journey."
Norris started second in the race but lost the position to Piastri as the Australian driver overtook cleanly. The British driver had to make sure he was on the podium to win the championship, as he fought off Charles Leclerc with amazing speed in his Ferrari.
A two-stopper for Norris, covering off Leclerc both times, as well as clean overtakes throughout the race, secured the P3 position needed. It wasn't easy for the driver as he was under investigation as well for overtaking by leaving the track on Yuki Tsunoda, but that did not change the outcome for the British driver as no penalty was handed to him.
The journey of effort and loyalty
The championship was the payoff for a nine-year journey with McLaren, starting in their junior program and culminating in the sport's biggest prize. This loyalty, and the effort required to turn the season around, defined his success.
"It has been a long journey with McLaren, I've been with them for nine years. For me to bring something back to them, I feel like I did my part for the team this year. So I'm proud of myself, but I'm more proud of everything I have made cry. And it is not just this year, the last seven, eight years with McLaren, the last 16, 17 years of my life trying to chase my dream."
Norris credited the turnaround to digging deep when the pressure was highest, proving the psychological strength that critics had long questioned.
"My best performances this year came when I needed them the most - the second half of the season when I was on the back foot, and I managed to show the best of me."
Norris won the season opener at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix. His next win did not come until the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix where he broke the title record, and had a series of wins before the summer break. Norris is the only driver this year who won a home race.
After not finishing the race at Zandvoort due to a mechanical error, the driver regrouped and began chipping away points against his teammate and title rival, Piastri. In Mexico, after a dominating 30.3 seconds gap win, Norris retook the championship lead by a point. His upward trajectory since then has involved a clean sweep in Brazil and a disqualification in Las Vegas, yet today, he rose on top as World Champion of 2025.
Adam Norris, Lando’s father, reflected on the dedication required over the years, from junior formulas to the pinnacle of motorsport.
"A lot of travelling around the world, a lot of fun - but it was relentless every weekend. But we had a lot of fun. It's been painful and hard, but it has been a lot of fun too."
The team's perspective: A dream fulfilled
McLaren CEO Zak Brown summarized the immense pride of delivering the championship during a fierce, three-way title battle—a challenge that mirrored the team's long-term revival.
"I’m so proud of our drivers, we let them race to the end. It’s been a dream with these two guys, as that Max guy is hard to beat so what an accomplishment. I can't wait to get back to the factory and celebrate with the whole team. To us this is the right way to go racing."
Brown also placed the victory in the context of McLaren's history, confirming the scale of the achievement after years of struggle.
"Who remembers the McLaren era of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso struggling at the back of the field? That is really not that long ago. The turnaround by McLaren to World Champions in both disciplines is a very impressive story."
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