By Alan Baldwin
ABU DHABI, Dec 7 (Reuters) – McLaren’s Lando Norris sobbed tears of joy and relief as he won the Formula One championship for the first time and ended Max Verstappen’s four-year reign with a nervy third place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.
Red Bull’s Verstappen, who ended the campaign with the most wins (eight), triumphed in the season-ender with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri second and 12.5 seconds behind at the chequered flag.
Norris, Britain’s 11th Formula One world champion at the age of 26, took his points tally to 423 with Verstappen on 421 and Piastri third with 410.
McLaren, who secured the constructors’ championship in October for the second year in a row, won both titles in the same season for the first time since 1998.
“I’ve not cried in a while. I didn’t think I would cry but I did,” said an emotional Norris in a post-race interview, after also shedding tears inside his helmet on the slowing down lap around the floodlit Yas Marina circuit.
“It feels amazing. I now know what Max feels like a little bit.
“I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season. It’s been a pleasure to race against both of them. It’s been an honour, I’ve learned a lot from both,” he added.
NO FIVE TITLES IN A ROW FOR VERSTAPPEN
Norris’s mother Cisca gave Piastri a consoling hug while both Verstappen and the Australian congratulated the new champion in a show of sportsmanship.
The victory denied Verstappen the achievement of five titles in a row, something only Ferrari great Michael Schumacher has managed so far.
“The way we fought back in the second half of the season, we can be really, really proud of that,” said the Dutch driver, who was 104 points behind then-leader Piastri at the end of August, over the radio to his team.
“So, don’t be too disappointed. I’m definitely not disappointed. I’m really proud of everyone for not giving up.”
Charles Leclerc finished fourth in Sunday’s race for Ferrari with George Russell fifth for Mercedes and Fernando Alonso sixth for Aston Martin.
Esteban Ocon was seventh for Haas, ahead of Ferrari’s seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton — who failed to stand on the podium all year in a career low for the 40-year-old who joined the Italian team this year from Mercedes.
Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg was ninth in the German’s 250th race and Lance Stroll 10th for Aston Martin.
Verstappen, who needed to win with Norris off the podium, led away from the start with Norris fending off Piastri to retain second while Russell dropped from fourth to sixth.
Piastri, the only driver apart from Tsunoda in the top 10 to start on the hard tyres with the rest on mediums, overtook Norris on lap one to drop the Briton into jeopardy with Leclerc close behind.
Norris appeared to be managing his tyres, and pulled out of DRS range, before pitting on lap 19 at the same time as the Ferrari driver.
The championship leader rejoined in ninth with Tsunoda leading a train of traffic and posing a threat to Norris, with Leclerc again closing in, but the McLaren driver overtook four cars in quick succession.
Esteban Ocon’s Haas then peeled into the pits, leaving the Japanese next. “(Do) all you can when he catches,” Red Bull told Tsunoda, who replied “I know what to do, leave it to me.”
NORRIS RAN WIDE, TSUNODA HANDED A PENALTY
Norris scythed past, running wide onto the dirt as Tsunoda moved twice in defence — a move that earned the Japanese a five second penalty with the Briton cleared of gaining an advantage by leaving the track.
Verstappen pitted on lap 24, immediately after Norris passed his teammate, to hand the lead to Piastri.
Leclerc pitted for a second time on lap 40, followed in by Norris for a second set of hards, with Piastri ending his mighty opening stint to switch for mediums on lap 42.
The Australian rejoined in second, 24.5 seconds behind Verstappen who passed him just before the stop, with Norris third.
“It’s not just this year or the last seven or eight years I’ve been with McLaren, but the last 16 or 17 years of my life trying to chase this dream,” said Norris afterwards.
“Today we all did it, so I’m pretty happy.”
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
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