Lando Norris believes his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri “will probably be world champion”, a day after ruling out he’ll win F1’s first world title in 2025.
Norris completed third on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, ending the season simply two factors behind Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen and 13 factors forward of Piastri, clinching his first world championship.
This was the closest end in F1 in 15 years, making Norris the eleventh Briton to win the drivers’ championship.
Norris was 34 factors behind team-mate Piastri with 9 races remaining, however a superb run of type, together with back-to-back wins in Mexico and Brazil, propelled him to the highest of the F1 rankings.
The 26-year-old Briton overcame his nerves in a tense finale at Yas Marina to grow to be the primary F1 driver to win the title.
However Norris is backing Piastri, who led the 15-race championship in 2025, for future victories.
“I’ve two different gamers who’re very quick and positively made my life troublesome this 12 months,” Norris stated.
“Oscar knew all alongside from spherical one which he was most likely going to be the hardest man to beat, however you possibly can by no means ignore Max, he’s Max.
“We actually by no means dominated him out and for anybody who may need, he proved you improper. I am glad we stayed on our toes and had been prepared for one thing like that, however it’s an honor to combat Max, a four-time world champion.”
“For me, to play in opposition to him and benefit from the second, perhaps not essentially take pleasure in it, however simply take pleasure in a few of it, however simply to share the course and combat in opposition to one other world champion like him, Oscar, who will certainly be world champion.
“That is why I actually loved this season. Though they made my life hell a variety of the time, these moments had been those I seemed ahead to essentially the most.”
Norris and Piastri helped McLaren win its second consecutive constructors’ world championship title.
Norris has confirmed he’ll put the number one on his automobile with a purpose to defend his world title in 2026.
The 2026 F1 season will open with the Australian Grand Prix on March eighth.
