Lando Norris wins F1 world title after third-place finish in Abu Dhabi

Lando Norris has been crowned champion of the world after he finished third at Sunday’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Norris needed only to be in the top three at the Yas Marina Circuit to become the 11th driver from Britain to take the crown, and he duly obliged with an impressive drive – which even saw him face a stewards’ investigation for driving off the road when he passed Max Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.

Norris escaped punishment and even though Max Verstappen won the race from pole position – to end the season with more victories than anyone else – it was not enough to derail his McLaren rival’s championship charge.

Verstappen crossed the line 12.5 seconds clear of runner-up Oscar Piastri – the Dutch driver resisting the urge to resort to dark arts by backing up the pack and hoping Norris’ third place would come under threat – with Norris 3.9 seconds behind his McLaren team-mate and 6.7 seconds clear of fourth-placed Charles Leclerc.

Norris, 26, was not fazed by Verstappen’s aggressive start when the Red Bull pole-sitter angled his car to his immediate left to chop across his rival.

Verstappen led but Norris remained in second with Piastri in third. However, Norris lost a place on the opening lap after a fired-up Piastri swooped round the outside of his team-mate at the ninth corner.

Verstappen led from Piastri and Norris before the Englishman changed tyres on lap 16.

Norris left the pits in ninth, and cleared Kimi Antonelli for eighth and then Carlos Sainz for seventh on lap 18. Up next for the championship contender was Lance Stroll and Liam Lawson and an aggressive Norris took both of them on in one swoop into Turn 5. Lawson bit back but Norris held firm.

Then the toughest task of them all with