Overview
- Lando Norris secured the drivers’ championship at the Abu Dhabi finale and received the official trophy at the awards ceremony in Uzbekistan on December 12.
- Andrea Stella praised Norris’s development, citing structured work on racecraft and mindset after early-season difficulties and the 2024 learning moment from the Spielberg collision with Max Verstappen.
- Stella described the campaign as a victory of rare quality, noting Norris prevailed over a field he considers exceptionally strong.
- McLaren’s year included operational setbacks such as a Las Vegas disqualification that cost points, which Stella said the drivers absorbed without blaming the team.
- Overshadowing the celebration, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem ruffled Norris’s hair on stage in Uzbekistan after similar gestures in Abu Dhabi, drawing sharp criticism from fans.