RACE REPORT | F1 Abu Dhabi 2025

Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but the biggest story was Lando Norris. By finishing third, the McLaren driver secured his first Formula 1 World Championship.

The race began with all three title contenders lined up at the front. Verstappen started from pole, Norris from second, and Oscar Piastri from third. Verstappen and Norris chose medium tyres, while Piastri started on hards, giving him a different strategy. Lewis Hamilton, starting 16th, was the highest-placed driver on softs.

At the start, Verstappen held his position and defended strongly from Norris. Piastri stayed close and later overtook Norris at Turn 9 to take second. McLaren boss Zak Brown said afterwards that the move did not surprise him. Charles Leclerc quickly began to chase down Norris, and George Russell also made progress. Hamilton climbed to 13th by lap four.

Verstappen focused on pulling away, with Piastri being urged by the team to increase his pace. Early pit stops began when Hamilton stopped on lap nine to switch from softs to hards. Norris reported tyre graining, but Leclerc’s problems were even worse. Liam Lawson was given a five-second penalty for erratic driving.

Around lap 15, strategy became critical. Russell switched to hard tyres to undercut Leclerc. Norris and Leclerc pitted at the end of lap 16 and rejoined in ninth and tenth, safely ahead of Russell. Norris then worked his way past slower cars to rejoin the main battle.

Verstappen’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda was told to defend against Norris and answered confidently, “I know what to do.” When Verstappen pitted on lap 24 for hard tyres, the stewards reviewed Tsunoda’s actions and handed him a five-second penalty, while Norris was cleared.

In the final phase, Leclerc switched to mediums on lap 40. McLaren reacted immediately and brought Norris in, allowing him to stay ahead of the Ferrari. Verstappen retook the lead from Piastri, who then made his final stop on lap 42. The last part of the race became a sprint to the finish. The top three were Verstappen, Piastri and Norris, with Leclerc closing in. Norris only needed fourth place to seal the title.

Norris stayed calm and controlled the pace. He kept Leclerc behind until the end. Verstappen won the race, Piastri finished second, and Norris crossed the line in third: enough to become the 2025 Formula 1 World Champion.

The top ten were: Verstappen, Piastri, Norris, Leclerc, Russell, Alonso, Ocon, Hamilton, Hülkenberg, and Stroll. Stroll had originally finished ninth but dropped back due to a five-second penalty.

For Norris, the result was historic. In one of the most intense finales in recent years, he stayed composed and delivered the performance he needed to become World Champion.

Race Results

1st – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2nd – Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +12.594
3rd – Lando Norris (McLaren) +16.572
4th – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +23.279
5th – George Russell (Mercedes) +48.563
6th – Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1:07.562
7th – Esteban Ocon (Haas) +1:09.876
8th – Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +1:12.670
9th – Nico Hülkenberg (Kick Sauber) +1:19.014
10th – Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +1:19.523
11th – Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber) +1:21.043
12th – Oliver Bearman (Haas) +1:21.166
13th – Carlos Sainz (Williams) +1:22.158
14th – Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) +1:23.794
15th – Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1:24.399
16th – Alexander Albon (Williams) +1:30.327
17th – Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +1 lap
18th – Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +1 lap
19th – Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1 lap
20th – Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1 lap