Lando Norris achieves his dream of a World Championship, Max Verstappen finishes second, Oscar Piastri comes away empty-handed, and Ferrari must start from scratch. Here are the key takeaways from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final round of the 2025 F1 season.
The 2025 Formula 1 season concluded in Abu Dhabi with Lando Norris crowned World Champion, the 35th in F1 history, while Verstappen chased him to the very end.
Piastri finished the Grand Prix in second place, dealing with the disappointment of losing the title, while Ferrari prepares to rebuild entirely for 2026, leaving behind the failed SF25 project. Here are the key points from Abu Dhabi’s final F1 Grand Prix.
Norris, the unexpected champion
Lando Norris becomes the 2025 World Champion by just two points, finishing third at Yas Marina and breaking a fifteen-year dominance between Red Bull and Mercedes. Max Verstappen’s victory was not enough to stop the British driver, who secured the title with seven Grand Prix wins, two Sprint victories, and an impressive 18 podiums, showing devastating consistency, especially in the second half of the season.
His internal McLaren comeback was decisive: from 34 points behind Oscar Piastri, through the severe blow of the Las Vegas disqualification, to the missed match point in Qatar. Lando Norris’ strength was mental before technical: meticulous work on car setups, surgical management of key moments, and well-timed aggression. McLaren reclaimed the drivers’ championship 17 years after Lewis Hamilton, completing a vertiginous climb that started in 2023. For Norris, the title is also a personal journey, cementing him as a modern champion: vulnerable, composed, and determined.
Verstappen, the wounded lion who never gave up
Max Verstappen finishes second in the championship after a furious chase that kept the title fight alive until the very last corner. He lost the championship by two points, possibly due to that lapse of nerves in Barcelona, but his 2025 remains one of the most intense seasons of his career.
Red Bull, despite being slower than McLaren, chose not to give up: no early transition to 2026, but consistent development of the RB21 to understand the limits and weaknesses of the ground effect car. A completely new era now begins: Newey and Marshall depart, Honda leaves, and soon Red Bull will have fully in-house designed power units.
Mekies has one absolute priority: convincing Verstappen to stay. Restarting from zero without their flagship driver would be anything but easy.
Piastri, the second-place sting
Oscar Piastri finishes the Abu Dhabi GP with a brilliant second place, thanks to an early overtake on Norris despite the disadvantageous tire choice. But it wasn’t enough to win the championship: he ends third behind Verstappen, after leading the standings for much of the year.
Post-race, Piastri remains clear-headed and honest: the team attempted an aggressive strategy, but Max Verstappen’s pace was unbeatable. Yet Piastri looks ahead: he has learned to manage pressure, car setups, complex weekends, and internal championship tensions. He acknowledges Lando Norris’ merits without resentment and sets his sights on 2026, confident that McLaren’s dynamics won’t change. His growth, both on and off track, is one of the strongest takeaways from the season.
Ferrari, deep crisis and final call
Ferrari closes 2025 without a victory, with inconsistent performance and many missed objectives. Charles Leclerc is clear: “It’s now or never. I believe in 2026.” The new technical cycle will be the real opportunity to restart. The Monegasque wants to turn the page, convinced that with the new regulations and coexistence with Lewis Hamilton, something solid can be built. Fred Vasseur emphasizes that driver pressure is a positive force because it pushes every department to improve.
2026 will be a blank slate, but not without challenges: rapid development, consistency, and a clear vision will be required. Ferrari knows it must rise now because the next cycle could determine who dominates the next four years.
Abu Dhabi 2025 wasn’t just the end of a season – it was the closing of an era and the opening of another. Norris is champion, Verstappen is hungrier than ever, Piastri is ready to strike and Ferrari have nowhere to hide. Roll on 2026.
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