Lando Norris is the 2025 Formula 1 World Champion! In Abu Dhabi, Lando Norris crowned himself the 2025 Formula 1 World Champion. The McLaren driver delivered a perfect final performance, finishing third in the season finale and securing the title by just two points over Max Verstappen, who had started from pole and went on to win the Grand Prix. Watching from a distance was Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri. His strong second-place finish wasn’t enough to keep his title hopes alive, leaving him third in the final standings. And with that, an extremely tense and unpredictable season came to an end—one that now heads straight into the history books, as all current cars will be retired with the arrival of the brand-new 2026 regulations. It was also a farewell weekend for one of the grid’s longest-standing names: after 32 years, the Sauber name disappears from Formula 1. Starting next season, the team will compete as the Audi Formula 1 Team. Team founder Peter Sauber, now 82 years old, was in Abu Dhabi to witness his former squad score two valuable points through Nico Hülkenberg. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix also marked the final race for Renault as an engine supplier—though the French manufacturer has left and returned multiple times in the past. Meanwhile, Honda will switch from powering both Red Bull teams to partnering with Aston Martin. Ford will support Red Bull as they begin using their own power unit, and Alpine hopes for improved results next year with Mercedes engines. Besides Alpine, who finished last in the Constructors’ Championship, Ferrari was arguably the biggest disappointment of the year: despite the massive expectations surrounding superstar signing Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time champion spent the season closer to retirement than to the podium. The short winter break will end already in January with the first private shakedowns of the 2026 cars, followed by two official test sessions in February. The new season kicks off on the first weekend of March in Melbourne.