F1 drivers and team bosses had positive words for 2025 world champion Lando Norris after he attained his first title, as Stefano Domenicali shared his thoughts too.
After seven seasons in F1 and seeing the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen take away the world championship glory in front of his eyes, McLaren’s Norris finally got his chance to do so in 2025 beating reigning champion Verstappen and own teammate Oscar Piastri.
Considering the dominance shown by McLaren, the margin of mere two points showcased the eventual tough fight put up by Red Bull and Verstappen in particular. It didn’t come easy for the Brit as he lost his points lead midway into the season to Piastri, who looked calm to take it away.
But as the season progressed, Norris started to find his groove, especially in the flyways in the second half which brought him in the game when Piastri started to struggle. At the same time, Verstappen started churning results after Red Bull found a sweet setup with their car.
McLaren limited its development programme to focus on 2026 as the constructors’ championship was in the pocket. This made things tougher for Norris, but he eventually prevailed in Abu Dhabi by the skin of things. The F1 grid had praise for Norris, as fellow rivals and team bosses had their say.
Here’s what was said –
Max Verstappen: “Winning your first title is something that I think we all dreamt of when you get into the sport. You work for that since you’re a little kid. It’s what you dream of. So, when you win your first title, this is very emotional. And, yeah, I hope for Lando as well. You know, I saw a lot of his family is here, so it’s important to enjoy this a lot as well tonight. Also, with his team.
“I think, again, that’s another story where it showed that even when you have tough years, when you keep working hard, you keep adding good people to the team, you can overcome all of those things, and you can become very successful again. And, yeah, they had an incredible season together, so it’s important that they enjoy it.”
Oscar Piastri: “I think a very deserving winner. I know that every weekend I go on track, it’s going to be tough. And I think we’ve pushed each other through the last three years. I think especially this season has been tighter than ever. So, yeah, I think he’s had a great season. Probably all three of us, but obviously, myself and Lando in the same team, in the same car, have had our ups and downs at different moments. Ultimately, I think he’s had a good season and a deserving champion.”
Carlos Sainz: “Yeah. Honestly very happy for him. I think he’s a great F1 driver. I think unbelievably fast, but with a…his particular way of going about life and things and as much as he’s got criticised a lot during the last few years for being how he is, he’s world champion and everyone can keep dreaming about being a Formula One champion while he goes about his own way. And he thinks his own way. So I’m very extremely happy for him because he must have felt a lot of pressure over the last few weekends and he managed to pull it off.”
Charles Leclerc: “Well, I mean, I think that’s why I love sport so much is the emotions and no matter how much you want to beat your opponents, to see someone’s face as happy as Lando’s win is something that is beautiful to see. And again, it is the ultimate dream for everyone of us on this grid and he’s been fulfilling it this year, and I’m very happy for him. He deserves it, and now it’s up to me to keep chasing it and hopefully make his life harder next year.”
Lewis Hamilton: “Yeah, really, really happy for him, he did such a great job this season. I told him going into the weekend just continue doing you what you’ve been doing works, so don’t change it going into the weekend and just take it one corner at a time. And clearly that’s what he did. So, great to see another Brit win a championship and yeah, awesome that for the sport it went right down to the last race.
“What more can you ask for? They [McLaren] won the championship last year, but drivers’ win, yeah. It’s great to see McLaren back up there. As for Lando, I mean, I don’t know. I can’t really comment. I don’t know what he said [about mental health], so I can’t really say much on that, but I think it’s great that people can show their vulnerability and it’s a real thing in today’s world. So, that should be taken seriously.”
George Russell: “Yeah, I mean massive well done, to be honest. I think especially the second half of the year, he’s driven pretty amazingly. And it was pretty tense this last race weekend, but I think it was, yeah, it ended up in the right hands.”
Alexander Albon: “Yeah, very happy for him. It’s great to see him showing his emotions on the world stage. I think he answered a lot of critics, and they can feel like…he took a step at the end of the year, yeah he rose under the pressure. And he deserves every moment of this. He had quite a lot of bad luck, actually, both McLarens, but particularly Lando. So, he’s done it in great style. And I’m sure that’s brought a pressure off his shoulders and it’s going to be a big night tonight, that’s for sure.
“It’s weird, isn’t it? It doesn’t feel real. No, it feels like just your friends on the big stage. I guess we don’t see each other as…we don’t look at each other like maybe, fans may do. So you’re just happy as a friend more than you are as anything else. I think clearly it’s a dream for all of us, more exactly to being a Formula 1 champion and I think we’re all so happy for Lando. I think hopefully everyone else gets a chance as well.”
Fernando Alonso: “Yeah, sure. I mean, Lando…all three of them, they drove amazingly well this year and even now with the extra pressure in the last race, they qualified in the Top 3, they finished in the Top 3, so they still deliver the job and all three are world champions, only one can win. This time was Lando, so yeah, congratulations to him. He has to enjoy now.
“You dream to become Formula 1 driver eventually and then to win the championship, that day arrived for him and I hope he enjoy and well deserved. Yes, I was aware, but because they were on different tyres, sometimes Piastri was leading and I didn’t understand if that was already with the stop, counting the stop or no, so I was, yeah, updating myself, from time to time.”
Esteban Ocon: “Yeah, amazing three-way battle. I think they all deserve a lot this year. They were fighting until the end. We were an amazing show for that last race. There has to be only one champion, and well done to Lando. I think, he definitely, deserve what he gets. And yeah, I’m super proud for him and I hope that he survives tonight’s party.”
Nico Hulkenberg: “Yeah, worthy world champion, congratulations, it’s obviously very special, first time world champion, happy for him, I think he deserves it. All of them, I think, deserved it, but obviously there can be only one winner. He had to earn it the hard way though, really fighting it out against the Max Verstappen until the end. So fair play and respect to him.”
Pierre Gasly: “Yeah, I mean, it was a tough battle. I think all three kind of deserved to be up there, but you need one champion. There’s always only one champion. I think Formula 1 is pretty incredible to have a title decided by two points. It’s I think pretty amazing for the sport and for all the fans out there. And yeah, in the end, a massive moment for his career, and a big congratulation to Lando.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli: “Congratulations to Lando (Norris) too. He deserves it but also well done to both Max (Verstappen) and Oscar (Piastri) who have also been brilliant this year. It was a great battle all year.”
Yuki Tsunoda: “A big congratulations to Lando—he has been superb all year and drove a solid race tonight to win his first title. Also, congratulations to Max for his victory and an amazing season.”
Franco Colapinto: “Congratulations to Lando [Norris]. He’s had a great year and is a deserving champion.”
Liam Lawson: “I mean, it was for position, so…but obviously I was on pretty cooked tyres so it wasn’t worth trying to stay there late in the corner. But, yeah, at that point, we were still having a decent race and then very quickly after that, our race fell apart. No, not close. Honestly, not close.”
Laurent Mekies: “Congratulations to Lando and McLaren. They have been superb all year and have been our fiercest competitors this season, so a huge well-done to their whole team. It was so tight this year, and we put up a really great fight right to the end, finishing with a dominant display.”
Toto Wolff: “Yeah, first of all, congratulations to McLaren, Lando, Zak and Andrea and the whole team. They are deserving world champions. They’ve done an outstanding job last year. They’ve done a very good job this year. Even if it got close, I’m happy for the team. Obviously having a Mercedes engine there is nice, but fundamentally the prevailing feeling that I have is we finished second in the championship, that’s respectable, but finishing off with a really mediocre race is just hanging over us.”
Frederic Vasseur: “Congratulations to Lando on winning the title. Ever since his days in karting it was obvious that he has a special talent and this title is well deserved and well done also to McLaren for giving him the equipment to get the job done.”
Jonathan Wheatley: “I want to extend my congratulations to Lando on securing his first championship. It was an incredible showdown and a fantastic spectacle to watch from the pit wall.”
Flavio Briatore: “Congratulations to McLaren and Lando Norris on winning both championships. Their level this year has been extraordinary and they have been the benchmark in Formula One this season.”
Stefano Domenicali: “First of all, let me take the opportunity to thank everyone of our team, all the F1 teams, all the promoters, the FIA of course, all the drivers, all the broadcasters, all the media, and above all, the fans, for an incredible season. It’s been amazing to arrive at the end of the year with the title still undecided; it’s something that’s not taken for granted. If you look back, you see so many things that have happened this season that seem impossible!
“Before summertime, Oscar Piastri was winning the title, then Lando Norris, then Max was strong. Congratulations to Lando. He’s a great character for Formula 1. His smile, his way of being a professional driver – he’s very important, he’s unique and he will give a big boost of energy to the championship, to the younger generation. But let me say that today I saw two other great drivers in Oscar and Max with a different face, a mature face. They both did incredible seasons, and that’s why the title fight came here right up to the end. So, just fantastic.”
Here’s Oscar Piastri on Abu Dhabi GP
Here’s Lando Norris on Abu Dhabi GP
Here’s Max Verstappen on Abu Dhabi GP