Lando Norris disobeyed McLaren team orders in F1 title celebrations

Norris during press conference after Las Vegas — Photo: © IMAGO

Lando Norris

Lando Norris disobeyed McLaren team orders in F1 title celebrations

Will Joseph had one last instruction for Lando Norris

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 9 December 2025 08:27

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Lando Norris ignored an order from his McLaren race engineer Will Joseph so he could celebrate his F1 title win in style at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

After a gruelling 24 race season, spanning five continents and 21 different countries from March until December, Norris’ side of the garage could let loose and celebrate when the British driver crossed the finish line in third for his maiden F1 championship.

However, Norris’ right-hand man and race engineer Will Joseph was given one last jolt of anxiety when the Brit defied his orders to celebrate his title win.

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As Norris returned his MCL39 to the start start/finish straight for the last time in 2025, the champion completed a couple of donuts in front of the crowd in the grandstands; but later revealed he was under strict instruction not to do so.

"Will told me not to do donuts. And I'm like, ‘God, can I do donuts or not? I have to. This is one opportunity in my life to do donuts. I have to do it’,” Norris explained to Lawrence Barretto.

“I felt pretty bad because he told me not to. And I was like, it's not often I don't listen to Will. I felt bad that I did it."

Why was Norris forbidden from doing donuts in Abu Dhabi?

While no exact reason for the ban was given from the McLaren pit wall, it was likely that Joseph’s instructions were out of concern for Norris.

The strict FIA post-race scrutineering was probably on the mind of McLaren, and perhaps urged caution to prevent burning excess fuel or shedding tyre marbles, the latter of which could have seen Norris’ car fall below the minimum weight.

With McLaren’s double disqualification at the Las Vegas GP still fresh in the mind, Joseph’s caution was probably an attempt to ensure the car remained legal and passed FIA inspections.

Following the post-race checks on Norris’ car, all elements inspected were found to be in conformity with the FIA’s technical regulations and the British driver is officially the 35th F1 world champion – even after a couple of cheeky donuts.

F1 McLaren Lando Norris Abu Dhabi Grand Prix