Max Verstappen delivered one of the greatest comebacks in Formula 1 history, only to fall agonisingly short by two points in the Abu Dhabi finale. The Dutchman started from pole and dominated the race for his 71st career victory, but Lando Norris’s hard-fought third place behind Charles Leclerc was enough to crown the McLaren driver the 2025 world champion—the first Briton to do so since Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
Red Bull threw everything at keeping Norris off the podium. Yuki Tsunoda’s desperate defence earned him a five-second penalty for illegal weaving, while Leclerc pushed hard in fourth but couldn’t close the gap. Verstappen needed Norris to finish fourth or lower; third place was all the Briton required, and he delivered under immense pressure to become the 35th different driver to win the world title.
As the chequered flag fell, Verstappen’s radio message was pure class. “Don’t be too disappointed, guys—I’m definitely not disappointed,” he told his team. “We can be really proud of the second half of the season. We never gave up, we kept pushing even when it was really difficult. Thank you to everyone, and a huge thank you to Honda for all these years and all these amazing successes. We close it in style.”
Moments later, an emotional Norris was in tears on his own radio: “You made a kid’s dream come true. I love you guys, thank you for everything.” The two rivals shared a long embrace in parc fermé, Verstappen congratulating the new champion despite the heartbreak of seeing a fifth consecutive title slip away by the narrowest of margins.
Norris ends the season with 18 podiums, seven wins, and 423 points—crowned champion by just two points after one of the most thrilling title fights in years. Verstappen may have lost the crown, but his grace in defeat and his team’s never-say-die spirit only added to his legend.
About the Author
