The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix capped a 24-race season owned by one man. While Max Verstappen won the race, Lando Norris was in the spotlight in a spectacular season finale. A third place under the lights at the Yas Marina circuit was all he needed and a third place finish earned him 15 points, taking his season total to 423 points.
Verstappen’s victory gave him 25 points and took him to 421, missing out on his fifth world title by just two points. Oscar Piastri crossed the finish line in second place, collecting 18 points, a score of 410. Lando became the 8th driver to win a world title for the Woking-based team, ending a 13-year wait for McLaren to win a drivers’ title, their first since compatriot Lewis Hamilton’s emotional championship victory in Sao Paulo in 2008.
The constructors’ championship had already been decided in Singapore, McLaren closed it early, and Abu Dhabi became the scene of a shootout for the drivers’ title. Verstappen defended hard until Turn 1 and controlled the race from the start. Behind him, Piastri delivered what many will remember as the pass of the season, lapping Norris with all his effort on hard tires. He lost second place to his teammate at the start, kept calm, kept the pace and built the race around one priority: getting on the podium, and it worked.
McLaren deserves credit for a clean weekend. The strategy was implemented without confusion and the pit wall made decisions with confidence. Piastri rolled the dice by starting on hard tires and committing to a long first stint and a single stop. They were expecting a safety car and it never came, but the plan stuck. Verstappen controlled the lead early on with the medium tires and also made a single stop ahead of the hards. The race developed into a two-front battle, but Verstappen was never really in danger. Piastri remained confidently second, allowing Norris to run at his own pace without having to defend heavily from behind.
Ferrari was close at times and Charles Leclerc used DRS in the early laps but was unable to convert the pressure into a pass. Fourth place for Ferrari is still commendable as it shows improvement towards the end of the season. The gap to George Russell in fifth place was over 25 seconds, showing what the team could have achieved if that pace had been achieved earlier. They are 71 points behind in the constructors’ championship. There is potential for improvement by the beginning of 2026.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton gave fans something to watch from deeper seats. He started from 16th place on the grid and climbed to eighth place. Alonso was sixth, Ocon seventh. Nico Hülkenberg and Lance Stroll completed the points.
McLaren’s momentum over the weekend continued in the paddock and beyond in Abu Dhabi. A former 1994 McLaren F1 from Brunei sold for $25.3 million at RM Sotheby’s auction on Friday. For the first time ever, McLaren Racing also offered three unraced competition cars as part of its Triple Crown offering. Ayrton Senna’s 1991 MP4/6/1 was also on display, awaiting a private sale in Dubai later this week.
Abu Dhabi was the last race for the current Formula 1 ground effect Grand Prix cars. The next season in 2026 will see a massive restart with Audi and Cadillac competing. Engine formats are changing, aero rules are changing and a new competitive landscape is emerging. The paintwork drops in January, followed by pre-season testing in Barcelona. Watch this area.
Images: Formula 1, McLaren Racing
