Lando Norris Crowned Formula 1 World Champion After Thrilling Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Lando Norris has clinched his first Formula 1 World Championship, finishing third in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The race saw fellow title contenders Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri secure first and second places, respectively.
Norris faced an early challenge; after dropping a position to teammate Piastri on the first lap and falling to ninth following a high-pressure pit stop, he needed to navigate through the field. Demonstrating remarkable composure, the British driver executed five overtakes in just three laps, regaining third place—a position that guaranteed his championship title.
“I could still fight until the end,” Norris stated after the race. “This season was not easy, with Max chasing and Oscar catching up at the end. I’m just crazy happy.”
The race began with Verstappen maintaining his pole position, decisively cutting off Norris at the first turn. Piastri gained ground early on, utilizing a better exit from the chicane to overtake Norris audaciously. This maneuver pushed Norris back to third, where he soon faced pressure from Charles Leclerc.
Strategically, Norris and Leclerc both pitted on lap 16, exiting the stops near the lower top ten. However, Norris quickly demonstrated his racecraft by cutting through the field, overtaking multiple drivers, including Yuki Tsunoda, who later received a five-second penalty for weaving to defend against Norris’s challenges.
Despite needing to cover Leclerc by converting to a two-stop strategy late in the race, Norris maintained his podium position, ending the season as the 35th Formula 1 champion.
Meanwhile, Verstappen’s victory marked his eighth of the season, closing the championship gap to just two points behind Norris. Piastri’s hard tire strategy was not enough to reclaim the lead, finishing second but unable to reduce the gap to Verstappen with only 17 laps remaining after his stop.
Leclerc claimed fourth, followed by Fernando Alonso in sixth and Esteban Ocon in seventh, both securing strong finishes for their teams. Lewis Hamilton recovered from 16th to eighth, showcasing a strategic two-stop plan that earned him the last points of the season.
Final Results:
- Max Verstappen
- Oscar Piastri
- Lando Norris
- Charles Leclerc
- George Russell
- Fernando Alonso
- Esteban Ocon
- Lewis Hamilton
Norris’s championship solidifies his status as a rising star in Formula 1, setting the stage for the 2024 season.
