Lando Norris was officially named 2025 World Champion at the FIA Awards in Uzbekistan, taking home the F1 Drivers’ Championship trophy.
On Friday, five days after winning his first title with a third-place finish in the final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Norris was presented with the award as F1’s 35th world champion at the governing body’s year-end event, which recognizes achievements in motorsport around the world.
“It was unbelievable,” Norris said of winning the championship.
“Obviously this is a dream of a lot of people, a dream of a lot of racing drivers and I finally got to make it happen.
“Live the dream you had as a child.”
Norris holds the trophy high
The top three finishers in the Drivers’ Championship will have to take part in the annual event in Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent, which concludes the FIA’s annual general meeting week.
Retired champion Max Verstappen, who won the final race of the season last Sunday and finished just two points behind Norris, is second in the 2025 standings, but did not travel to Tashkent on medical advice due to illness.
Verstappen apologized in a video message after ending his four-year reign as world champion and also paid tribute to his McLaren rivals.
“A big congratulations to McLaren and especially Lando,” Verstappen said.
“You all had an incredible season and it was great to race with you all until the end. I hope you enjoy it for sure.”
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Watch Norris’ full interview with Craig Slater about winning McLaren’s first drivers’ title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri took the trophy for third place, giving McLaren their second consecutive constructors’ championship and tenth in their history.
Woking won the title at the Singapore Grand Prix in September with six races left in the season, finishing 364 points behind second-placed Mercedes.
This is the first time since 1998 that McLaren has won both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown lifted the Constructors’ Trophy alongside team principal Andrea Stella and said: “It’s been a great season.
“All the men and women at McLaren have done an incredible job, led by our two great drivers, and of course Andrea as our leader.
McLaren’s “family photo” that won various awards at the FIA Awards
“To have two drivers competing for the world championship in the final race when everyone said it wouldn’t be possible, I’m extremely proud of the way McLaren raced and that’s exactly what we’re trying to do next year.”
“I got emotional after the race and got really drunk!”
Norris took to the stage with Piastri, Brawn and Stella to pay tribute to McLaren, his title-chasing teammate and Red Bull’s Verstappen.
“Congratulations and thank you to McLaren, the team I have been with for so many years. This team has provided both of us with great cars that have made our lives so much easier, sometimes even better, and have allowed us to bring home so many wins until the end of the season.”
“My great teammate, Mr. Piastri, has helped me develop a lot over the past few seasons and has helped us become the team we are today, one that has won two consecutive constructors’ championships.
“Of course, to Max, for always challenging us and putting pressure on us and doing what Max always does.”
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Lando Norris wore a striking gold crash helmet just days after winning the world championship at the postseason Abu Dhabi test
It’s been 11 years since he attended the award as a teenager when he became world karting champion. “It’s been great to grow up here with so many of you and to be able to do it with McLaren and race with all the world champions I’ve raced against, Lewis (Hamilton), Max (Verstappen), Seb (Vettel), Fernando (Alonso),” said Norris.
“All the great drivers that I looked up to and watched growing up, I get a chance to race against them, beat them and show what I can do against them, and I was able to do that this year.
“I’m very proud and of course very happy. I was very emotional on the Sunday after the race, got very drunk afterwards and had a great time!”
“I can pay it back now!” – Norris and Ben Sulayem’s “great” joke
Norris’ acceptance speech also included a humorous exchange with FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem after the new world champion used an expletive in one of his answers when assessing the year’s ups and downs.
Norris said, “I and we both have had our fair share of failures and setbacks. Can I say that here? Am I okay?”
Ben Sulayem, who last year oversaw the FIA’s crackdown on fines for drivers getting out of their cars at official press conferences, jokingly replied: “Ten thousand!”
Norris continued: “Sorry, yes, I was fined! Now I can pay it back!”
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