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CHAMPION: LANDO NORRIS PROVES TALENT TRUMPS MONEY FOR F1 CROWN

Norris ends McLaren's 17-year title drought, joining Hamilton and Button as the only British champions since 1996. He defeated Verstappen and Piastri with skill and focus.

Champion: Lando Norris Proves Talent Trumps Money for F1 Crown
Norris's Skill Seals McLaren's First F1 Title

It was clear early on that Lando Norris was going to be a big deal in racing. One thing he had going for him was financial support, which many talented young racers lack.

His dad, Adam Norris, who made his money in pensions and was worth around £200 million in 2022, paid for his racing career. So, Lando always had the best equipment and plenty of time on the track to hone his skills.

His path to the top of racing was made a bit easier because of his family's money. But money alone can't buy what Norris has achieved. His talent is what made him Britain's latest Formula 1 champion.

Over the years, some drivers who came from wealthy families have gotten into F1 but didn't show the skill to back it up. Long before winning his F1 title, Norris had already proved he was more than just a pay driver.

After winning the F3 title as a rookie and almost winning in F2 against George Russell, McLaren was confident enough to bring him up to F1. Norris started his F1 career shortly after turning 19 and made an immediate impression, finishing sixth in only his second race, even though McLaren wasn't as good as it is today.

He was behind his teammate Carlos Sainz that year, but Sainz had been in F1 for a while. Norris improved significantly in their second season together. Then, in 2021, he became the clear team leader when Sainz left for Ferrari, and Daniel Ricciardo replaced him.

He almost won his first F1 race twice in 2021. First, Ricciardo led a one-two finish at Monza. Then, in Russia, victory was snatched away from him. Norris led for most of the race, but a sudden rainstorm caused him to slide off the track because he stayed on slick tyres.

He had to wait almost three more years before finally winning in Miami last May. "I've finally done it for them," he said after the race, referring to the team that had believed in him.

Now, at 26, he has won McLaren's first driver's title since Lewis Hamilton 17 years ago. He faced tough competition from Max Verstappen and his teammate Oscar Piastri.

Even though he received some for being open about his past mental health struggles, Norris stayed focused. He joins the small group of British World Champions since Damon Hill almost 30 years ago, along with Hamilton and Jenson Button.

ANDREA STELLA : BEATING MAX VERSTAPPEN MAKES LANDO NORRIS’ F1 TITLE WIN MORE SPECIAL

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella believes Lando Norris' 2025 F1 title win is elevated because he defeated Max Verstappen, calling it a "prestigious" achievement.

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Stella Praises Norris for Edging Out Four-Time Champion.

McLaren's Andrea Stella believes that beating Max Verstappen and Red Bull made Lando Norris’ 2025 Formula 1 championship win even more special.

Even though Verstappen won the race in Abu Dhabi, it wasn't enough to keep his championship title. Norris finished in third place, which was just enough to win his first Drivers’ title.

For most of the season, it looked like a battle between the McLaren drivers. Norris and Oscar Piastri had won 12 races between them in the first 15 races.

However, Red Bull had a big turnaround, and Verstappen, who was 104 points behind Piastri with nine races to go, got back into the fight.

But while Verstappen won the last three races, Norris and McLaren did just enough to win the title by only two points.

Stella, who has been in the sport since 2000, said that Norris won at a time when the competition is tougher than ever.

“Thinking back, the season really reminded me of 2003, which also came down to the last race,” Stella told the media. “There were some challenges near the end, and the whole season was close and tense. Michael Schumacher ended up winning that year.

“Then we had 2007, which again went to the last race with three drivers in contention.

“I kept thinking about these past situations during the entire weekend.

“The drivers in Formula 1 today are incredibly talented, which makes Lando’s success this season even more impressive.

“Drivers now have telemetry data from the time they start racing go-karts, and they receive so much support. They’re just naturally fast.

“We sometimes see that established drivers struggle to keep up with the younger generation.”

Norris Ends Verstappen’s Time as World Champion

Stella stated that beating Verstappen and stopping him from equaling Schumacher’s record of five titles in a row makes Norris’ win even greater.

“It’s a really big accomplishment,” he said.

“Beating Max Verstappen, a four-time World Champion, in a team that knows what it's doing, is a real achievement.

“It’s a really impressive, high-quality, and prestigious win.

“And it’s amazing that Oscar was also so close to winning. I think that shows how much of a team effort this was.”

TITLE WAIT CONTINUES: ZAK BROWN BACKS OSCAR PIASTRI FOR 2026 AFTER 410-POINT FINISH

Oscar Piastri's F1 title bid crumbled after leading 71% of the season, ultimately finishing 3rd and 13 points behind Lando Norris due to mid-season errors and team orders.

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How Piastri Lost the F1 Title Despite Leading for 189 Days.

In 2025, Oscar Piastri appeared set to win the F1 drivers’ championship, leading for 71% of the season. Yet, he ended up in third place, with his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, grabbing the title.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull squeezed between the McLaren drivers in the standings. Norris edged out Verstappen by just two points, preventing the Dutchman from securing a fifth straight title. Piastri ended the year 13 points behind his teammate, with 423, 421, and 410 points, respectively.

Norris started the season strong, winning the Australian Grand Prix and ending Verstappen's 1,029-day reign at the top. Still, Piastri took over the lead after winning in Saudi Arabia, the fifth race of the 24-race season.

Piastri held the lead for 189 days until Norris won in Mexico City (race 20) and regained it for the final 42 days. Norris's title win made him the 11th British champion in F1 history, while Australia's wait for a champion since 1980 continues.

Zak Brown, McLaren CEO, believes Piastri can contend for the 2026 title after his near-miss in 2025.

Brown thinks Piastri could have won the 2025 title, but some mid-season difficulties threw him off course. Brown still thinks Piastri should be happy with his results.

Brown feels that if Piastri can shore up a few areas, he can compete for the title in 2026. The 2026 regulations could shake up the grid, but Brown is confident that Piastri will eventually win a title.

Brown mentioned on Radio X that Oscar did great in the off-season. He thinks the two drivers pushed each other to improve, which also helped the team.

He noted that leading early in the championship is different from chasing, especially in a long season. Piastri faced some mid-season challenges but bounced back strongly.

Brown is looking forward to next year because he believes Piastri will return to Australia motivated. He sees Piastri as tough and focused, needing only a few improvements. He suggests keeping an eye on Piastri next year.

Brown added that Piastri is disappointed but shouldn't be with the overall season. He should be proud of his seven wins. He pointed out that it was only Piastri's third full season, compared to Lando's seventh, adding that Piastri is going to be a world champion, maybe even next year.

Piastri’s title hopes took a hit after McLaren's team orders at Monza.

Piastri wrapped up the 2025 season with seven of his nine career wins, 16 of his 26 podiums, and all six of his pole positions. Only Verstappen (8) had more wins, and he and Norris had more poles (8 and 7) during the season.

Norris had the most podiums in 2025 with 18, ahead of Piastri (16) and Verstappen (15). Piastri lost ground between Baku (race 17) and Las Vegas (race 22), a slide that began with the race in Italy at Monza (race 16).

McLaren instructed Piastri to give second place back to Norris during the Italian Grand Prix. Piastri had overtaken Norris, who was told he would stay ahead if he let Piastri pit first. However, Norris had a slower pit stop. Piastri initially disagreed but complied.

Piastri then crashed in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after crashing in qualifying and jumping the race start. Piastri was also unhappy with Norris after they made contact during the Singapore Grand Prix while fighting for third place.

McLaren blamed Piastri for the crash with Norris during the COTA Sprint, saying he tried an aggressive move. He also struggled in Mexico City, Sao Paulo, and Las Vegas due to low grip before recovering in Qatar.

To top it off, both McLaren drivers were disqualified in Las Vegas after their cars were found to have excessive wear on the underfloor. A bad call from McLaren in Qatar also cost Piastri a possible win.

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