Lando Norris: Heartfelt Tribute to Parents | F1 News

With a voice choked with tears, Lando Norris made a declaration of love first to his Formula 1 team and then to his parents under the night sky of Abu Dhabi. “You have made a childhood dream come true. I love you, mom, I love you, dad,” the 26-year-old Brit squeezed it out with the last of his strength. In the pits, the parents, the siblings, the girlfriend were cheering, and McLaren managing director Zak Brown radioed into the car: “Is this the world champion hotline?”

In a crazy three-fight final, Lando Norris was crowned Formula 1 world champion for the first time. Despite the attack of his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and the confident victory of defending champion Max Verstappen at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Norris saved a lead of just two points in the standings to the finish. Verstappen and Piastri were among the first to congratulate him. “I thought I wouldn’t cry, but I had to,” Norris said with tears in his eyes.

Third place behind Verstappen and Piastri was enough for the 26-year-old to win the first drivers’ title of his career; he is the 35th champion in the history of the premier motorsport class. Hollywood actress Ana de Armas waved off the thriller with the checkered flag.

Norris ended Red Bull star Verstappen’s world championship era, which began at the Yas Marina Circuit in 2021. The 28-year-old Dutchman had actually already given up the World Cup fight this year, but ultimately narrowly missed out on his fifth triumph in a row with his eighth win of the season – one more than Norris. If Norris had only finished fourth, Verstappen would have been the champion again.

There was high tension the entire weekend. Here is the calm and aggressive defending champion, who was in first place after being 104 points behind at the end of August and had nothing to lose from his list of successes. Since the two stable rivals Norris and Piastri had a lot to lose. Formula 1 had not experienced such a three-fight finale since 2010, when Sebastian Vettel raced from third place overall to the world title in the Red Bull.

For some, Verstappen is perhaps the most complete racing driver Formula 1 has ever seen. Trimmed by father Jos, who was behind the wheel of a rally in Africa at the same time as the finale. He was also blessed with the racing genes of his mother, once an excellent kart driver, who wasn’t in Abu Dhabi either, but was looking after the dogs. “You trust your son,” Max Verstappen said and grinned.

At 5:03 p.m. local time the red lights went out for the last time this season. Verstappen secured pole with a fantastic lap, Norris came second in qualifying and Piastri third. Papa Norris hugged his son again. It only helped to a limited extent. Verstappen defended first place and he didn’t have to take it either.

In the end, the question was: Would Piastri be asked by the box to let Norris pass for safety? Verstappen had so much time to ask whether Leclerc would still be able to get to the Brit. The Monegasse could no longer do that and Norris crossed the finish line as the new world champion after 58 laps.