F1 Abu Dhabi: Lando Norris shares F1 championship regret: 'I messed up'

Lando Norris

‘I messed up’: Lando Norris shares F1 championship regret at Abu Dhabi GP

Norris and McLaren have made mistakes in 2025

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 7 December 2025 11:59

Lando Norris delivered an honest assessment of his 2025 F1 title quest ahead of Sunday’s showdown at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

F1 titles are lost in moments, seemingly small errors at the time that when considered in the broader complexion of a whole season, become championship defining.

For Norris such moments have been few and far between in 2025, with his mistake and crash with Oscar Piastri at the Canadian GP immediately jumping to mind.

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Some errors have been outside of his control, such as McLaren’s double disqualification in Las Vegas and the team’s strategy blunder in Qatar, allowing Max Verstappen back into the title fight - which could cost Norris on Sunday.

Speaking to the media on Thursday ahead of the Abu Dhabi title decider, Norris was asked himself by Sky Sports’ David Croft which incidents could contribute to losing the F1 title.

“I mean, there’s always little things along the way. Of course, there are probably some more obvious ones from my side,” Norris answered.

“You know, if I go back to Canada, probably being the most like ‘just put my hands up in the air—I messed up’. It cost me a good amount of points.”

“China, I’ve been unlucky in qualifying. And then just some little things along the way. It's probably like that for everyone. There certainly is for everyone.”

Do McLaren have more work to do in 2026?

If Norris does win the title in Abu Dhabi, small errors like Canada won’t linger in public consciousness for long. Yet, McLaren’s blunders and their self-sabotaging ‘papaya rules’ will continue to bleed into the 2026 season and beyond, evidence that McLaren still have some growing up to do.

Norris continued to pinpoint moments this year McLaren could have done better as a team, and added: “Otherwise, there’s some other bits where at times, you get a bit unlucky, whether it was the DNF in Zandvoort or the disqualification.

“That’s not unlucky. That’s just not doing a good enough job as a team. But the disqualification in Vegas as well cost me a good amount of points.

“So yeah, I wouldn’t say anything obvious. It was just a couple of parts from my side that I have to put my hands up and admit I didn’t do a very good job.

"And then a couple from us as a team where we have to admit we also didn’t do a good enough job, including last weekend. But that’s probably about it.”

F1 title scenarios: How Norris, Verstappen or Piastri can become world champion

McLaren Lando Norris Abu Dhabi Grand Prix