The Double is Back: McLaren Sweeps 2025 Championships in Most Dominant Era Since 1998

ABU DHABI — The “Papaya Reign” has reached its zenith. Under the shimmering lights of the Yas Marina Circuit, Lando Norris secured his maiden Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship, completing a historic season that saw McLaren clinch both major titles for the first time in 27 years.

While Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominated the season finale to take the race win, it was not enough to overturn the deficit. Lando Norris, finishing a composed third behind teammate Oscar Piastri, secured the title by a razor-thin margin of just two points.

A Nervous Night in the Desert

The finale was a tactical chess match. Norris entered the weekend with a 12-point lead, but a blistering pole position from Verstappen put the Briton on the back foot. During the race, Norris had to navigate a “wheel-to-wheel” scare with Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and relentless pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

“Oh god, I’ve not cried in a while,” a tearful Norris admitted after the race. “Thinking of my family on that last lap… we’ve spent eight years together, and I wanted to do it with McLaren since the very beginning. We’ve made history.”

Restoring the Glory Days

McLaren’s 2025 campaign is being hailed as their most dominant era since the days of Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard in 1998. The team’s “Double”—winning both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles—ends a 17-year drought for a McLaren Drivers’ champion (last won by Lewis Hamilton in 2008).

The team’s success was built on the most consistent car on the grid: the MCL39.

Key Milestones of the 2025 Season:

• Constructors’ Title: Sealed early in Singapore with six rounds to spare.

• Race Wins: A combined 12 victories for the team (7 for Piastri, 5 for Norris).

• Reliability: Zero power-unit failures across the entire 24-race calendar.

• Historical Sweep: McLaren now sits second on the all-time list for Constructors’ titles with 10.

The Road Ahead to 2026

As the celebrations continue at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, the sport now prepares for the massive 2026 regulatory shakeup. With Audi and Cadillac entering the fray and Lewis Hamilton entering his second year with Ferrari, the target on McLaren’s back has never been larger.

For now, however, the F1 world is orange.