Lewis Hamilton 'really proud' of Lando Norris after 'pretty surreal' Formula 1 world title for McLaren driver - 'Truly special'
Published 07/12/2025 at 17:52 GMT
Formula 1's new British champion earned the plaudits from one of the all-time greats, as Lewis Hamilton expressed his pride for Lando Norris on his world title victory in Abu Dhabi. Norris had to fight off competition from team-mate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the final race of the season, but came through to secure his first drivers' championship.
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Lewis Hamilton said he was "really proud" of fellow Brit Lando Norris, who won his first-ever Formula 1 world title after finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.
Norris finished two points ahead of Red Bull rival Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship following a dramatic finale.
Norris, McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and Verstappen could all have secured the title heading into the Grand Prix.
But it was Norris who took glory, ending Verstappen's run of four successive titles and earning praise from seven-time champion Hamilton.
"I'm really happy for him. Winning your first World Championship is truly special," the Ferrari driver said.
"[The] UK continues to pump out great drivers, and I know what the feeling is also when you're coming into this race and fighting for your first championship, it's nerve-wracking. I'm just really proud of him.
"Before the weekend, I told him what he does works, so don't change anything, and I guess that's what he did."
Norris, jubilant and emotional after his historic success, admitted the feeling was "pretty surreal".
"It's incredible," he said. "It is pretty surreal, you know? I've dreamed of this for a long, long time. Everyone does.
"A lot goes into a season like this, a lot of ups, a lot of downs. But none of that matters as long as you try and come out on top. That's what we have managed to do.
"I did it with an incredible team. It's not just this year, it has been over the last seven or eight years being with McLaren, with the last 16, 17 years of my life, trying to chase this dream, and today we all did it. So I'm pretty happy."
Norris added: "I've not cried in a while and I didn't think I would cry, but I did. It's a long journey.
"It feels amazing, I now know what Max [Verstappen] feels like. I want to congratulate Max and Oscar [Piastri], my two biggest competitors the whole season.
"It's been a pleasure to race against both of them and an honour. I've learnt a lot from both of them as well.
"I've enjoyed it and it has been a long year but we did it and I'm so proud of everyone.
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Aston Martin's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso (top) McLaren's British driver Lando Norris (C) and Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton (R) chat ahead of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on December 7, 2025.
Image credit: Getty Images
"My best performances this year came when I needed them the most, the second half of the season when I was a little bit on the back foot, that's when I did the best, when I showed the most in me.
"I'm proud, I've got my family here, my girlfriend here, I would hate to embarrass them. I'm proud, I managed to make them happy.
"This is for my mum and dad, they let me chase this dream."
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McLaren CEO Zak Brown, speaking to Sky Sports, said: "Unbelievably proud of the team, unbelievably proud of the two drivers.
"A lot of people said that it was going to be impossible to pull off. It's just a dream racing with these two guys. Oscar and Lando have been awesome all year; this Max guy is pretty hard to beat.
"So well deserved from everyone, can't wait to get back to the factory and celebrate with the entire team. We have a great group here, but we have a lot of men and women back at McLaren."
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