Lando Norris: Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz hail new F1 world champion after Abu Dhabi GP | F1 News

Lando Norris’ rivals have heaped praise on Formula 1’s new world champion, with Carlos Sainz saying the McLaren driver has proven you can win the title “being a nice guy” rather than “ruthless or badass”.

Norris clinched his maiden title by finishing third in Sunday’s Abu Dhabi to pip Max Verstappen, the season finale’s race winner, to the 2025 crown by two points.

Norris, 26, becomes world champion for the first time at the end of his seventh season in F1.

Sainz was Norris’ first team-mate when the Briton, then aged 19, joined the grid with McLaren and spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons racing alongside him, with the pair building a strong friendship off track.

And Sainz, who now races for Williams, gave a heartfelt tribute after the race to Norris, who has regularly spoken openly about his mental health and honestly assessed the ups and downs of his performance in public.

“Very happy for him as a driver because he’s always been an extremely quick driver, quicker than what people give him credit for, extremely talented,” Sainz told Sky Sports F1.

“The first years at McLaren, I saw a guy who had the speed to be multiple world champion if it was purely down to speed.

“Along the way, he’s developed his skills a lot and now he’s a world champion.

“More than anything, I’m happy for him as a person because he’s a driver that doesn’t follow the typical stereotypes of a world champion, he’s always stayed true to himself, very honest, very open about his own struggles and proven to everyone you can be world champion being a nice guy, or don’t have to be ruthless or badass.

“Happy for him, I hope he stays the same, it doesn’t get in his head that he’s world champion and he keeps being himself, or even if he relaxes more, and can enjoy F1 more.”

‘Truly special’, ‘Super emotional’ – Hamilton, Verstappen pay tributes

Norris has become the 11th driver from Great Britain to win the Drivers’ Championship and the second-youngest after a then 23-year-old Hamilton won his maiden crown in 2008, McLaren’s last triumph before Sunday.

Hamilton, F1’s most successful driver with a joint-record seven championships and record 105 race wins, paid tribute to his countryman.

“I’m really, really happy for him,” said the Ferrari driver.

“Winning your first world championship is truly special. UK continues to pump out great drivers.

“I know what the feeling is also when you’re coming into this race and fighting for your first championship, it’s nerve-wracking.”

Norris succeeds Verstappen as world champion, bringing an end to the Dutchman’s four-year reign at the summit of the sport.

Verstappen offered his own congratulations.

“He has had a very good season,” the Red Bull driver told Sky Sports F1.

“In general it’s been a tough battle between himself and Oscar and at one point I got into the fight.

“Winning your first is always super emotional. It’s very special because everyone on the grid is always dreaming about that moment.

“I hope he really enjoys it tonight with his family and, of course, the team.”

Norris said after the race that he had “learned a lot” from the less-experienced Piastri during their first three years as team-mates. The Australian, who beat Norris to second in the Abu Dhabi race but ended up finishing 13 points behind his team-mate in third in the standings, said the feeling was mutual.

“I’ve learnt plenty of things along the way. Even the last three years I’ve learnt things every weekend from what Lando does and it’s nice to know that it goes both ways,” said Piastri.

“There are plenty of years to come of intense weekends and tight battles but, ultimately, I think that has made both of us better drivers and, in some ways, contributed to the success both of us have had this year.”

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