Coming into the final race of the year, the entire world knew this would be a championship showdown for the ages. After twenty-three rounds across every corner of the globe, only twelve points separated the three drivers fighting for the 2025 title. Lando Norris arrived in Abu Dhabi as the championship leader, just ahead of four-time World Champion Max Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri only four points further back. Round 24 of 24. One last chance. Only one would leave Yas Marina crowned World Champion.

And from the moment fans began pouring into the circuit, it was clear: the whole world had come to witness history.

Abu Dhabi GP — the world watches

The Yas Marina Circuit has become one of Formula 1’s most symbolic settings for moments exactly like this. Since its debut in 2009, Abu Dhabi has become a natural home for season finales, hosting the last race every year since 2014 and in all but three seasons since the circuit opened. It’s a track built for spectacle — the only day-to-night race in Formula 1, where the sun sets over the marina and the track comes alive under the floodlights.

Describing the atmosphere at the circuit, Max Verstappen said in 2018:

“Apart from being the last race of the year, Abu Dhabi is always a special one due to the atmosphere. The crowds are big and noisy, and being a sunset race adds to the unique feeling. After a busy few races I think everyone looks forward to getting to Abu Dhabi.”

This year, fans from 105 countries traveled to witness the 2025 season finale. That global mix of colours, flags, and cultures is part of what makes F1 so unique — a sport where millions of people from completely different parts of the world can unite over the same passion, the same drama, and the same hope for their favorite driver.

Abu Dhabi also holds a special place in F1 history. The circuit is where Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, and Max Verstappen each won their maiden World Championships. It features the famous underground pit exit — the only one of its kind — and has earned a reputation for producing iconic endings. And while recent years have seen the pole-sitter dominate, the tension this season pushed all expectations aside. Nothing was guaranteed.

Floodlights and fate: the final race of 2025

After Saturday night qualifying, everyone knew we were heading into a thriller. All three championship contenders lined up in the top three positions: Verstappen starting from pole, Norris in P2, and Piastri in P3. With the statistics in mind, Verstappen’s path to the title seemed straightforward — win the race and hope Norris finished fourth or lower.

After securing pole, Verstappen said:

“We found a bit more lap time and of course I’m incredibly happy to be in first. That’s the only thing that we can do, right? That’s the only thing that we can control. I try to just maximise everything we have, what we have with the car, and we definitely did that in Qualifying.”

When the lights went out, Verstappen launched perfectly, protecting his lead into Turn 1. Behind him, Piastri seized the moment and passed Norris, taking second place and dropping the championship leader to third. That early move raised the stakes immediately. One more position lost, and Norris would be out of the title fight.

The Yas Marina Circuit has become one of Formula 1’s most symbolic settings for moments exactly like this.

Verstappen drove flawlessly from the front — no mistakes, perfect strategy, and unshakeable control. The real drama unfolded behind him as Charles Leclerc and George Russell chased down Norris. The tension grew with every lap. If either car overtook him, Verstappen would secure his fifth championship.

But Norris held the line. Leclerc tried. Russell tried. The pressure was relentless. Still, Norris refused to crack.

When the checkered flag waved, Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Piastri finished second, and Norris completed the podium in third — the exact position he needed. And with that, Lando Norris became the 2025 Formula 1 World Champion.

Lando has landed

Lando’s first World Championship is the culmination of a season where he was consistently seen as one of the main contenders for the title. With McLaren producing an incredibly strong car in 2025 — a machine that proved to be a genuine match for anything on the grid — both Norris and Oscar Piastri spent the entire year firmly in the championship conversation. Week after week, McLaren’s pace made it clear that either driver could realistically fight for the crown. As the season reached its final stretch, Norris kept himself in the hunt by staying within the points margins he needed, a key factor in a title fight that ultimately came down to just two points. It also highlighted how much he has matured as a driver, managing pressure and race situations with a level of calm that has steadily grown over his years in Formula 1.

Reflecting on the battle all season long, Norris said after the race:

“It feels amazing. Now I know what Max feels like a little bit, and I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors all season. It’s been a pleasure to race against both of them, and I’ve learnt a lot from both of them as well.”

Whether you cheer for McLaren, for Lando himself, or for the sport as a whole, this season was unforgettable. We watched McLaren’s early dominance, Verstappen’s fierce comeback, rookies climbing onto the podium, and Oscar Piastri proving his enormous potential. It was a season full of twists, shocks, and emotional highs and lows — the kind of championship that reminds fans across the world why Formula 1 is unlike any other sport.

What to look forward to in 2026

Next season, everything changes. The 2026 regulations bring some of the biggest shifts the sport has seen in years. The cars will feature a completely new design concept, with power units running a 50/50 split between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. And that’s only one part of the overhaul.

On the aerodynamic side, the traditional DRS flap will be removed entirely. In its place, drivers will control fully adjustable front and rear wings, switching between two modes: Z-Mode, which provides extra downforce and grip through the corners, and X-Mode, which reduces drag for higher straight-line speed.

DRS detection zones will be replaced by a manual power button, and the new Manual Override Mode (MOM) will give drivers an additional burst of battery power for overtaking when they are within one second of the car ahead.

The grid also expands to 22 drivers, with Valtteri Bottas returning, Sergio Pérez rejoining, and Arvid Lindblad becoming the newest British driver in Formula 1. Yuki Tsunoda will be leaving his role as a main Red Bull driver and moving into a reserve driver position for both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. There will be 11 teams, with Cadillac joining the grid, Honda moving to Aston Martin, and Toyota becoming the title sponsor of Haas.

And the countdown has already begun — as of now, the first car launches are set for January 15, 2026, with Red Bull and Racing Bulls unveiling their new challengers.

A new era is coming. A new champion leads the sport into it.

And fans from every part of the world will be watching.