Photo: GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP
McLaren's Lando Norris sobbed tears of joy and relief as he won the Formula One championship for the first time and ended Max Verstappen's four-year reign with a nervy third place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Red Bull's Verstappen, who ended the campaign with the most wins (eight), triumphed in the season-ender with McLaren's Oscar Piastri second and 12.5 seconds behind at the chequered flag.
Norris, Britain's 11th Formula One world champion at the age of 26, took his points tally to 423 with Verstappen on 421 and Piastri third with 410.
McLaren, who secured the constructors' championship in October for the second year in a row, won both titles in the same season for the first time since 1998.
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