F1 crowns a new champion Norris

After 152 Grand Prix starts, 11 wins, 16 pole positions, 18 fastest laps, 44 podiums and eight seasons in Formula One, at 26 years and 22 days old, McLaren's Lando Norris became the F1 drivers' world champion, scoring 51% of the points for the British-based constructor this season. "It’s incredible, it's surreal and it's something you dream of for a long, long time," Norris said in an interview with former F1 driver Jenson Button after Sunday’s podium celebrations at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. "A lot goes into a season like this ... and it's not just this season, it's been the past seven, eight years with McLaren," the sport's newest champion shared. A decade ago in 2015, McLaren's affairs were far from what they have been this year, ending ninth in the constructor's championship despite having world champions Button and Fernando Alonso piloting their cars. In 2018, the year before Norris's debut with the team, they ended sixth in the constructors' standings. The following year, McLaren ended fourth in the championship, before reaching third in 2020. Despite earning their first win since 2012 and the only one-two result of the season in 2021, Team McLaren was still unable to crack the top three. In 2022, they dropped further down to fifth in the championship with Norris earning the team their only podium appearance of the season at Imola, before in 2023 the team showed a turnaround in form after a slow, but promising start to the season. In 2024, the constructor managed a competitive season against rivals Red Bull, managing to take home the championship with Norris contributing 56% of the points scored in the team's campaign. This year, McLaren put forth a competitive campaign with a gap of 364 points over Mercedes in second place and 382 over Red Bull in third. END OF AN ERAThe 2025 season – the 75th year since Formula One's first formalised season – will also be the last year under the set of regulations that has become known as the ground effects era. In 2026, the regulations call for smaller, more nimble cars with increased reliance on hybrid systems with the drag reduction system (DRS) being scrapped. Cars will instead be advantaged by new active aerodynamic settings – X-mode and Z-mode. X-mode creates lower drag in straight lines (thus optimising straight line speed) and Z-mode increases downforce in cornering. Next year will also see the introduction of the Cadillac F1 team to the grid with Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas and Mexican driver Sergio (Checo) Pérez signed to the American outfit. Stake Kick Sauber will also become the Audi F1 factory team. This team will thus cease reliance on Ferrari engines as Audi will be its engine supplier.The 2026 F1 championship will begin from 6 to 8 March at Albert Park after a private test held from 26 to 30 January at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain with test two at Bahrain International Circuit between 11 and 13 February and test three at the same circuit from 18 to 20 February.– irene-mari@nmh-hub.com.na

F1 crowns a new champion Norris

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-30

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F1 crowns a new champion Norris

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-30

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