Lando Norris did all he needed at the 2025 F1 season finale in the Abu Dhabi GP, finishing third and becoming the 35th FIA Formula One World Champion in history, and the first for McLaren since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
Why he believes “consistency” was key to securing the title
Speaking to Sky Sports, the Briton admitted he’s still struggling to come to terms with the fact with he won the championship, and reflected on what has been a season of “ups and downs” in which he believes his consistency was the key to delivering his first title:
“It’s pretty cool, pretty insane. It’s hard for me just to say [that I am world champion], still,” he admitted. “I almost feel like I don’t want to say it just yet. I want to wake up tomorrow and say it.
“It’s been a season of ups and downs. Has it been a perfect season [by me]? Absolutely not. Has it been by anyone? No.
“There’s been ups, there’s been downs. I’ve had my struggles, and I’ve also had my fortune. My [good] luck every now and then, and things that have helped me out.
“But I guess winning a championship is about the consistency, and I had a lot of that this season. And I just did what I had to do.I focused on myself. I managed to concentrate on myself when a lot of people were supporting me, and also when a lot of people were not supporting me.
“I felt a lot of discomfort within my team, within my close team, my parents, my friends, my family, my manager, my trainer, the people that I’ve grown up with. And we overcame a lot of those things together, and I really feel like they’re just as much part of saying I and we are world champions as I feel like I get to say it myself.”
“I’m happy that I cried” – How the emotions poured out on the final lap
Norris revealed he went through somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster in the last lap, as he started to think about his parents and all the effort that’s been made ever since he was a little kid in karting, to not only make it to F1 but win the ultimate prize as well – and ultimately added he was “happy” that he let it all out and cried in the car:
“It’s pretty cool. I’m happy [that] I cried as well. Not many things in my life have ever made me cry, but today was one,” he said. “I didn’t know if I was going to, but I came under the tunnel on the last lap, and I thought of my mum, and that thought made me cry.
“I was thinking of how happy she would be, and my dad. Then I got a bit more emotional. It was a pretty amazing day.“
Norris’ journey up to this moment and the importance of winning with McLaren
Norris has been with McLaren ever since 2017 when he was a part of their driver academy, and since 2019 as a full-time F1 driver.
He reflected on his journey up the motorsport ladder until reaching the pinnacle of the sport, and how the support of his family, friends, and crucially his team made this exact moment even more special:
“You just kind of have that little fast run back of the journey, like you see in movies and things like that. It’s genuine. Those pictures of me, my first ever time in a go-kart, that first day where I looked like an absolute rookie, zero style, no idea what I was doing.
“I remember my dad taking us karting, both my brother and myself, and the car blowing up on the way there because we couldn’t get up the hill on the way to the track,” he reminisced. “Just those real memories of where it started and all the way to where I am now.
“I think what’s made it even better is I get to share it with the team, because I’ve been with them for eight years now and we’ve been through a lot together.
“It’s not just a game, and then I’ve conquered and that was it. I’ve wanted to do it with McLaren since the very beginning, and I hope they feel the same way. I feel like they’re just as much part of it, so I’m very happy we’ve got the constructors’ and the drivers’ [titles] together.”
Why he expected “the worst” heading into the race
Although it was all smiles and happy tears after such a tense finale in Abu Dhabi, the newly crowned world champion revealed that the nature of the championship-deciding race and the caliber of the drivers he was up against meant he expected “the worst” heading into a race that could change the trajectory of his F1 career and his life:
“Today a P3 was all I needed to do. Of course I would’ve loved to do better, but I was happy with that. It’s never a straightforward race, there’s a lot of stuff that plays into your mind in a race like today.
“Especially when I’m up against two of the other best drivers in the world, so you always expect the worst in a way,” he said. “Today was a very smooth day, and I achieved my little dream from many, many years ago. I dreamed and I shared with my parents and my whole family, they’ve all supported me since I was a kid.
“I’m the most happy I’ve ever been, that’s an easy one,” Norris added. “I don’t know what I’m meant to say. A lot goes into a season like this.
“It’s always hard to imagine, it’s hard to imagine how far away is [the champiosnhip], what year is it gonna be, what you have to do.
“Now I know, which is a pretty incredible feeling. I’m pretty happy.”
In the end, Norris cleared Max Verstappen by a mere two points in the final standings after the Abu Dhabi GP, and clinched the first F1 world title of his career in his seventh season for McLaren.
