Lando Norris celebrating his F1 2025 drivers' championship win at the Abu Dhabi GP — Photo: © IMAGO

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

F1 Results Today: NEW champion crowned as Max Verstappen heroics not enough at Abu Dhabi GP

How the F1 title battle went down in Abu Dhabi

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 7 December 2025 15:55 Updated: 11:34

Lando Norris added his name to the F1 history books and was crowned the 35th different world champion after claiming a crucial podium at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen may have achieved a commanding victory at Yas Marina but Norris finished third, which was enough to claim the world title by two points.

Oscar Piastri secured an early track advantage over Norris, overtaking for second place on lap two and produced a 41-lap stint on the hard tyres.

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The race suddenly transformed into Abu Dhabi 2021 when Yuki Tsunoda attempted to keep a recently pitted Norris at bay, to aid Verstappen's championship bid and back him up into Charles Leclerc.

As the McLaren went to overtake Tsunoda on the straight, the Red Bull star aggressively defended Norris and pushed him wide, where all four wheels of the McLaren left the track when Norris delivered the overtake.

Tsunoda was awarded a five-second time penalty however, for forcing Norris off and the Brit was not penalised for leaving the track, crucial in keeping his title hopes alive.

F1 Results: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025

Position	Driver	Team	Gap
1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	—
2	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+12.594secs
3	Lando Norris	McLaren	+16.572secs
4	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+23.279secs
5	George Russell	Mercedes	+48.563secs
6	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+67.562secs
7	Esteban Ocon	Haas	+69.876secs
8	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+72.670secs
9	Nico Hulkenberg	Kick Sauber	+79.014secs
10	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+79.523secs
11	Gabriel Bortoleto	Kick Sauber	+81.043secs
12	Oliver Bearman	Haas	+81.116secs
13	Carlos Sainz	Williams	+82.158secs
14	Yuki Tsunoda	Red Bull	+83.794secs
15	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	+84.399secs
16	Alex Albon	Williams	+90.327secs
17	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	+1 LAP
18	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+1 LAP
19	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+1 LAP
20	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	+1 LAP

2025 rule change removes fastest lap point

Fastest lap points have been banished for 2025. Since 2019, drivers have picked up an extra point if they finish in the top 10 and achieve the fastest lap.

However, this led to some drivers abandoning their races to pit and fit a new set of tyres at the end in order to claim the fastest lap point, or to stop a rival from getting the extra point.

The most famous example of this in 2024 came during Daniel Ricciardo's final F1 race, when the Australian finished last but claimed the fastest lap on the final lap of the Singapore GP, taking the extra point away from Lando Norris and helping Max Verstappen's title bid.