The Power of Three, The Triumph of One: A Champion Crowned at the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP

A Season of High Stakes

At the beginning of the season, the world collectively agreed on three clear contenders for the Drivers’ Championship title: Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri. This rivalry became the central focus of the entire season. Fans eagerly awaited a victor to emerge from the tussle. The question lingering on everyone’s minds was, who would it be? As if an omnipotent author was scripting the season, the answer was only revealed at the very end, during the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Verstappen, who started from pole position, won the race. However, it was third-place finisher Lando Norris who secured his first Driver’s Championship with 423 points, just two points ahead of the Red Bull driver. Oscar Piastri, finishing second in the race, found himself in a limbo, winning neither the race nor the title. Nonetheless, he put up an impressive fight throughout the race and the overall season.

Reflecting on the Season's Key Moments

As the results unfolded, I couldn’t help but reflect on all the moments, both big and small, that shaped this outcome. Piastri had that grassy embrace that cost him what looked like a home race win in Australia. He also faced a string of late-season mishaps that drained critical points. Some blame those incidents on silly mistakes, pressure, bad luck, or McLaren strategically favoring Norris. I believe it was a contextual cocktail of all three.

Verstappen, meanwhile, spent the season driving a car that, depending on the circuit, was either a rocket ship or a tractor. And let’s not forget the Imola DNF. That, dear readers, can be attributed to a not-so-great car design and one instance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time on track.

I could spend hours analyzing every drive, every incident, every penalty, and every quirk. However, it ultimately won’t change the fact that Lando Norris is the champion.

McLaren's Remarkable Season

Satisfaction is a word that barely describes McLaren’s season. It was reminiscent of the years of Red Bull’s and Mercedes’s previous eras of dominance. After 24 rounds, the team earned fourteen Grand Prix wins between Norris and Piastri, a second Constructors’ Championship in a row, and their first Drivers’ Championship title since Lewis Hamilton’s win in 2008.

So here we are, at the conclusion of a year painted in papaya-orange. The 2025 Formula One season has come to an end.

Looking Ahead to 2026

All eyes now turn to 2026, ushering in a new era. New FIA regulations will bring about cars that are expected to be more agile and sustainable than previous iterations. An eleventh team, Cadillac, will join the Constructors’ Championship fight. Three new faces will be on the grid: Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will be the new team’s maiden drivers, and Arvid Linblad will be the latest addition to Red Bull’s never-ending musical chairs.

The 76th season of Formula One will undoubtedly be historical, filled with unknowns and chaos ready to bubble to the surface. Through all of this, our golden trio—Norris, Verstappen, and Piastri—will be back in action.

Questions for the Future

With so many changes underway, I have no predictions but only questions to ponder, including:

• Can McLaren secure a third Constructors’ Championship title in a row?

• How long will Papaya Rules last in 2026?

• Can Lando Norris defend his crown?

• Will Piastri finally get his day in the sun?

• Can Verstappen pursue a fifth title with the new technical regulations?

• Or, will new contenders enter the ring? If so, who will they be?

  
  

We’ll have to wait until lights out in Melbourne in March to begin finding out.

In the meantime, here is one thing we know for sure: seasons come and go, and regulations come and go, but champion titles are forever. And no matter what 2026 throws at Lando Norris, he will always be a Formula One Drivers’ Champion.