Norris credits mid-season turnaround as key to maiden F1 title

Lando Norris has credited his mid-season surge as one of the defining factors in his run to the 2025 Formula 1 world championship, after securing the title with a composed drive to third place in Abu Dhabi.

The McLaren driver, who spent much of the first half of the year chasing Oscar Piastri, beat Max Verstappen to the title by two points and team-mate Piastri by 13 after a tense season finale at Yas Marina.

At one point, Piastri looked like the stronger McLaren driver, having taken the championship lead in Saudi Arabia and not relinquishing until Mexico.

Norris appeared to raise his game after the summer break, however, and became McLaren’s most consistent driver to open a gap over Piastri and finally secured the crown on Sunday.

Norris admitted that what defined his year wasn’t just outright pace, but delivering when it mattered most.

“My best performances this year came when I needed them the most,” he said on the podium as he celebrated becoming McLaren’s first world champion in 17 years.

“The second half of the season, when I was a little bit on the back foot, that’s when I did my best. It’s when I showed the most of me, and I managed to get the gap I needed to perform and do what I needed to do today.”

Norris revealed he felt a responsibility to repay the people who had carried him through the difficult stretches.

“I got my whole family here, my girlfriend here… I would hate to embarrass them on a day like today, so I’m proud I managed to make them happy, put a smile on a few faces,” he said.

“This was really for my mom and my dad because they let me chase this dream. Today I got to share it with them.”