What the teams said – Race day in Abu Dhabi

Red Bull

Verstappen made a clean start and from there looked relatively untroubled as he drove away for an eighth Grand Prix win of the year. He one-stopped to the flag, and had the ability to throw in a free second stop had he wanted to, such was his advantage over the field. That would have enabled Red Bull to enact some gamesmanship to try and swing the title fight his way, but in the end they opted for the victory, knowing the chances of disturbing McLaren’s two drivers was remote at best. As for Tsunoda, he played the team game in his final race for Red Bull, attempting to hold up Norris once the McLaren man pitted. But in doing so he forced Norris wide off the track and received a five-second time penalty for his troubles.

Max Verstappen, 1st

“I’m very proud of the whole Team and I’m so proud of the incredible turnaround that we had. We never gave up and always believed we could turn things around and never stopped trying. We could have very easily just have given up, but we kept pushing, looking for improvements and always believed. This season has been a massive rollercoaster, with lots of tough moments and feelings, but I’m so proud of everyone and we have really come together as a Team. The turnaround in the second half of the season was incredible and pretty crazy that we could do that and we kept overcoming a lot of things as a Team. Today has been a lot of fun, especially winning the race in such a dominant way. We had an incredible weekend and did everything as best as we could, so ultimately I feel good today. Although not winning a championship by two points looks painful, going back to Zandvoort we were behind by over 100 points, so am very proud of what we have achieved. Of course, for Lando this is something very special and I hope he enjoys it a lot. The first Championship win is the most emotional one and it is something you dream of since you were a little kid. His family are here and I hope he enjoys tonight with his Team. Finally, I wanted to thank the whole Team in the factory and on track: we never gave up and always believed. I am very proud of the people that I work with, they are my second family."

Yuki Tsunoda, 14th

"I really tried my absolute best to score points today, and I think there could have been potential to do so, but the penalty made it tricky. We opted for a different strategy, and we were running well until the battle with Lando. I tried to hold him up, but he was pretty fast, and then I ended up with a frustrating penalty. Once I came out for the second stint, it was really challenging to pass. I can look back on this year knowing that I gave it everything until the end. There were lots of times this season where I lacked that bit of luck you sometimes need to make the difference, but that's racing. A big congratulations to Lando—he has been superb all year and drove a solid race tonight to win his first title. Also, congratulations to Max for his victory and an amazing season. Between himself and the Team, they put together a brilliant effort to challenge until the very end and just missed out. He is the best driver on the grid, seeing him work and extract everything that he does is, just shows how good he is, and he has the mentality to go with it, it's very inspiring to see. I'd like to say thank you to the engineers, mechanics, and the entire Team for this season, and I'll still be around next season, so it's not a proper goodbye."

Laurent Mekies, Team Principal

"Firstly, congratulations to Lando and McLaren. They have been superb all year and have been our fiercest competitors this season, so a huge well-done to their whole team. It was so tight this year, and we put up a really great fight right to the end, finishing with a dominant display today. We didn’t expect to put in a performance like that around this track, so a big credit to the Team and to Max for getting the car into a position to do exactly that. Starting from pole, we knew the win could be in our hands, and Max was perfect from start to finish, with excellent tyre management to see us through. I’d also like to thank Yuki, who played the team game today, as he did last night, and we thank him for never giving up this season. We simply could not have done anything more. The dominant feeling is one of pride for this sensational turnaround. The effort that every single person in this Team, in the campus and on the race track, has put in is nothing short of incredible. We showed true racing spirit - the Red Bull spirit - right up to the very last lap."

McLaren

Norris sealed his maiden World Championship title in Abu Dhabi, doing exactly what he needed to by finishing on the podium with his team mate just ahead. Neither had the pace to fight with the Red Bull of Verstappen, though, for the win. Piastri on the hard tyres overtook Norris on the opening lap and kept the Dutchman honest, staying out for a long first stint and one-stopping on his way to the flag. Norris had to work harder in the opening stages on the mediums to keep a feisty Leclerc at bay. He mirrored the Ferrari man’s two-stop strategy to ensure he stayed in P3, which was all he needed in the end for that coveted Drivers’ crown.

Lando Norris, 3rd

"We did it, World Champion! This is for everyone that's been there for me on this journey. For my family, for my team, and for everyone at McLaren.

“It's been a tough season, Oscar and Max are incredible competitors and have done an incredible job all year. It's been a privilege to get to race them this year, congratulations to them on their amazing seasons.

“I'm so proud, not because I'm World Champion, but because of everything those around me have given up to make this possible. Making them happy and rewarding their sacrifices and hard work is what makes me proud.”

Oscar Piastri, 2nd

"Congratulations to Lando on the Championship win, it was great to battle with him all the way to the end, and it's a lovely moment for the team. It was a really strong race to finish out this year, we took a risk on strategy, and it paid off, but we just didn't have an answer to Max.

"It's been an amazing season and one I am very proud of. We'll take everything we've learnt and head into 2026 as the strongest driver I've ever been. I am excited to see what we can achieve next year."

Andrea Stella, Team Principal

“Today, we celebrate an extraordinary achievement for the entire McLaren Racing family. The main feeling is that we are incredibly proud to take home a maiden 2025 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship for Lando. This is a fantastic end to what has been a hard-fought season, one that has tested and brought out the best in everyone across the team. All the men and women in Woking have responded to the call how we had wished to elevate the game and level of performance following our success last season.

“While only one driver can take the Drivers’ Championship title each season, to be in a situation where both Lando and Oscar were challenging at the sharp end against a four-time World Champion in Max Verstappen, was always an ambition and not a problem. The demand of this was huge, but we did it the McLaren way, even when we had our bumps on in the road, everyone stuck to our culture which showed our incredible unity, and I’m so happy that the team have been rewarded with this success.

“Lando and Oscar have been outstanding all year both on and off track, showing the true values of what it means to be a McLaren team member. Together they have secured a combined 14 wins and a total of 34 podiums which also delivered the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship, our 10th as a team and also our first Championship double since the team’s iconic 1998 season.

“None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our shareholders, partners, people, and fans, as well as our long-standing colleagues at HHP who have contributed to another year of successful collaboration.

“Thank you for being on this journey with us. We’ll make sure we celebrate this moment together before getting our heads down and focusing on the upcoming challenge in 2026.”

Ferrari

Leclerc was racy off the line, picking off Russell and giving Norris plenty to think about in the first stint. He ran in DRS range of the McLaren man for lap after lap, but could not find a way through. He was quick in the second and third stints, too, before his charge faded late on and he had to make do with P4. Hamilton started on the softs and climbed right up the order after an early switch to the hard tyre. He was the first to gamble on a two-stop strategy and it paid dividends as he came home in the points despite starting from P16 on the grid.

Charles Leclerc, 4th

"I gave it everything and our team executed the race perfectly. Unfortunately, P4 was all there was in it for us today. I really wanted to finish the season on a high, bringing home a podium for everyone, and I was close to Lando (Norris) in a few moments of the race, but it was not enough to make a pass.

"Congratulations to Lando for his first title. He has been doing an incredible job of driving this year and it’s fully deserved.

"A huge thank you to our whole team, both at the track and at home in Italy, for all the hard work put in this year, as well as our Tifosi for their ongoing support. It’s been a tough season for us.

"Next season is still a blank slate, and we don’t know where the other teams stand, so we don’t have any real expectations yet. After this week, we will head back to Maranello to regroup, and our job will be to focus all our efforts on preparing for the season ahead as best as we can."

Lewis Hamilton, 8th

"I’m pleased with today’s drive. We made good progress, overtook a lot of cars, and got ourselves back into the points. The two-stop strategy worked well so thank you to the team.

"It’s been a tough season, but the kindness and hard work of everyone at Ferrari means a lot to me. I stand with team and know we have better times ahead. After testing, I’m looking forward to taking some time to switch off, spend time with my family and friends and will come back refreshed and stronger in January.

"Congratulations to Lando. It’s great to see a fellow Brit win the championship. I’m proud of the work he’s put in over the years and this result is fully deserved."

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

"First of all congratulations to Lando on winning the title. Ever since his days in karting it was obvious that he has a special talent and this title is well deserved and well done also to McLaren for giving him the equipment to get the job done.

"Overall, this has not been a bad weekend for us in terms of pure performance, but it came a bit too late following a very tough start on Friday after which the team at the track and back in the factory did a very good job to recover for Saturday, by making very big changes to the cars. However, when you have to recover like this, it’s all about fine tuning the details and we weren’t able to do that. That affected our qualifying as the field was so close and then today our race pace was good and with Charles we were matching Lando’s pace, but in the current F1 where the gaps are so small, if you leave anything on the table you pay the price. Lewis also had a good race with very strong pace, he pulled off some nice overtaking moves and the motivation was there. But across the whole team, if we want better results we must work on having better weekends from the start of practice.

"I want to thank everyone in the team at the track and all the people back in Maranello for all their hard work all year and of course thanks also to the Tifosi for their support this season, because even when we were struggling, and we had some very tough weekends, they were always behind us, always supportive and you can’t imagine the positive energy this has given us throughout all the year."

Mercedes

Russell had plenty of wheelspin off the line, and dropped behind Leclerc and Alonso which was far from ideal. He managed to pick off the Aston Martin man, but could not get the Ferrari ahead. As such, he stopped early to try the undercut, which very nearly worked. But he lost pace in the last stint and came home a distant fifth - which was more than enough to secure P2 in the Constructors’ for Mercedes. As for Antonelli, he started on the hard tyre but could not quite make that strategy play out after getting stuck in a DRS train for much of the race.

George Russell, 5th

"That was a very tough race for us this evening. We struggled to find the pace that would threaten those ahead throughout the whole Grand Prix. I had a poor start and dropped down to P6; I got back ahead of Alonso to take P5, but it was a lonely night from there. We knew in normal circumstances that we likely didn’t have the pace to challenge for the podium, but it was still frustrating.

"Whilst the season didn’t end in the way we wanted, we can be pleased that we secured P2 in the Constructors’. It has been a challenging four years in this ground effect era for us as a team and getting P2 was definitely our aim from after the summer break. We’ve ticked that box but ultimately, we want more than this and that is what we are fully focused on delivering in 2026 with the seismic rules change.

"Finally, I want to wish congratulations to Lando (Norris) as he becomes World Champion. We’ve raced together for so long and he is more than deserving of the title. Hopefully we can do battle on track next year for the 2026 crown!"

Kimi Antonelli, 15th

"I struggled with the balance of the car this evening and didn’t have the pace to get back into the points sadly. It was a tough night and a difficult race and that is unfortunate. We’d enjoyed a good run of Grands Prix up to that point but that’s racing sometimes. We’ve got some work to do with the test on Tuesday and our full focus is already on 2026.

"It’s been quite a journey this season. It’s not the way we wanted to end the year, but the most important thing is that we brought home P2 in the Constructors’ Championship. Happily, we were able to do that. Over the winter, we will look back over the season, see where we could have done better, and come back much stronger.

"Congratulations to Lando (Norris) too. He deserves it but also well done to both Max (Verstappen) and Oscar (Piastri) who have also been brilliant this year. It was a great battle all year."

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

"Congratulations firstly to Lando Norris on winning the World Championship. He is a worthy winner; I am really happy for him and everyone that is close to him. His parents will be quite rightly proud of his achievement, and I am sure they will enjoy it. Congratulations also to Zak (Brown) and Andrea (Stella); they have done a great job at McLaren to secure both titles this year.

"Our race can be summed up in one word: mediocre. It was a lonely one for George who wasn’t threatened from behind but didn’t have the pace of the front four cars. He was managing his tyres to bring the car home on the one-stop, and he did that successfully. For Kimi, he tried his best from a difficult starting position, but we just didn’t have the speed in the car to enable him to get back into the points. It is not the way we wanted to end the year, but we can be pleased we secured P2 in the Constructors’. Since the midpoint of the season, that has been our aim. It is not what we as Mercedes ultimately want to be fighting for though and hopefully, we can prove ourselves worthy of being in a world title fight next year."

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

"That was an underwhelming way to end our season. We came into the race hoping to fight for the podium with George and to help Kimi battle back into a solid points scoring position. Unfortunately, we didn't have the pace today to do that and had to bear a frustrating evening. Both drivers lost places at the start and things didn't improve much from there. George was in no man's land between the top four and the rest of the field. He drove sensibly to bring the car home P5. For Kimi, he needed a good start and a strong car to recover from qualifying and unfortunately did not have either.

"We're pleased to have secured second place in the Constructors’ Championship in an entertaining, season long battle with Ferrari and Red Bull, we go into the winter very mindful that McLaren won this championship comfortably. We look forward to the immense challenge of the new regulations; we've been working hard on the W17 for a long time and will redouble our efforts across the winter in a bid to get back to winning ways.

"Finally, well done to Lando. He drove brilliantly in the final races and is a worthy champion."

Aston Martin

Alonso was super competitive off the line, forcing his way past Russell and running Leclerc close as well. Although he dropped back, he managed to keep the rest of the midfield at bay. Pitting with the top runners, Alonso remained competitive throughout to secure sixth place and seventh in the championship for Aston Martin. As for Stroll, he ran a very long first stint on the hard tyre. When he eventually pitted, he was quick on the mediums and overtook Bortoleto late on to climb into the points. He finished ninth, was demoted to P11 when a time penalty was applied for changing direction too many times… only for Bearman to receive a time penalty himself, which promoted Stroll back to the points.

Fernando Alonso, 6th

"It is great to finish the season with a strong P6 here in Abu Dhabi. Our race pace hasn't always matched our qualifying recently, so a solid Sunday here feels very good. It's been a challenging year, and I want to thank the whole team for their hard work all season. We'll enjoy a break, then switch our focus to preparing for the big changes next year. And congratulations to Lando on his first World Championship; it is a special moment for any young driver, and he deserves it."

Lance Stroll, 10th

"It was a fun race, some great overtakes and good strategy by the team today, and nice to pick up a point at the final race at Yas Marina Circuit. In hindsight, we could've maybe pitted a lap or two earlier and finished even further up in the points. This year has been a tough one for the team, we haven't been as competitive as we wanted to be, so finishing this season with a positive result and P7 in the Constructors' Championship is good."

Mike Krack, Chief Trackside Officer

"Firstly, congratulations to McLaren and Lando for a well-deserved end to their season. For us, it was great to complete the final race of 2025 on a positive note, with a double-points finish.

"Fernando drove a great race, finishing in P6 and bringing home eight valuable points for the team. Lance also had an excellent race, managing the Hard tyre well and pulling off a series of decisive overtakes. He climbed six positions before a post-race time penalty dropped him to P10.

"We finish the season P7 in the Constructors' Championship. Thank you to the team trackside and everyone back at the AMR Technology Campus for your hard work and dedication this season. It hasn't always been easy, but we have never stopped pushing.

"As we now look to the 2026 season, I want to also take the time to say thank you to our friends and colleagues at Mercedes AMG HPP for supplying the team's PU over the past 17 years. Thank you for the collaboration that has shaped this chapter in our history.

"Thank you also to our fans for your unwavering support and passion, it means a lot to us all. We now turn all our focus on 2026, with the test in Barcelona next month."

Haas

Ocon started in the top 10 and always looked on for points in what was one of his most competitive races of the second half of the season. He even kept a charging Hamilton at bay for the last chunk of the race to record his best result since Monaco. As for Bearman, he was on the fringes of the points in the closing stages but received a five-second time penalty for more than one change of direction in a battle with Stroll, which ended any chance of finishing his rookie season in the top 10.

Esteban Ocon, 7th

“I’m very happy to finish the year this way. I think it was a really strong race from our side, and it was the maximum that we could’ve done. We fought with Fernando Alonso the whole race, it was definitely a big fight as he was matching my middle sector, it was really close, and there was a lot of overtaking all the way to the end. It wasn't quite enough to finish ahead of Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship. It’s a bittersweet taste, but it’s definitely a good last race that gives us a solid platform to build on next year."

Oliver Bearman, 12th

“Overall, it was a good race. We pitted on the early side, but we managed to hold others off. To get penalized for more than one change of direction with Stroll – I broke the tow once, which is allowed by regulation, and then I defended the inside line for the rest of the straight. I’m looking forward to the winter break now, we built really strong foundations for this year, and that’s positive, and thanks once again to the whole team for everything this year.”

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal

“At the start of the day, we aimed to get both cars into the points. We achieved it until Ollie’s penalty – which I thought was really harsh, however – that’s the rule. To cross the line in P7 and P10 is a really good job from everyone, as we started from P8 and P11. We raced really hard, really well, and there was huge pressure trying to get P7 in the Constructors’ Championship, but everyone stayed calm. The pit stops were good, especially the second one, but I knew we’d bounce back – that team has done a great job this year, ending on a high.

"We couldn’t quite reach our target of beating Aston Martin today, but those championship positions don’t happen over one race, that happens over the course of 24 races. I’m very happy to say we should be proud of ourselves, how we improved this year and scored 79 points. Last year we finished P7 on 58 points, but this year the competition is so much tighter, and in the last seven races, we scored in six of them. It’s amazing that we’ve improved the cars two years in a row and finished the season on a high, it gives us confidence going into next year. I want to say thank you to everyone in this team, you should be proud of yourselves, and this is an achievement from everyone. I’m very happy to be working with this group of people, I couldn’t be prouder.”

Kick Sauber

Bortoleto started in the top 10 and ran his good friend Alonso close in the first stint. But once he pitted for fresh rubber, the Brazilian got bogged down in the midfield. Hulkenberg was on a different strategy, after starting on the softs and pitting early. Despite some contact with Gasly, he managed to climb up the order and was running close to his team mate late on. Bortoleto lost out to Stroll who was on much fresher tyres and finished out of the points, but Hulkenberg gained a position when the Canadian’s penalty was applied, to ensure Kick Sauber earned some points in their last race before becoming Audi.

Nico Hulkenberg, 9th

“Scoring two points, after a disappointing Saturday and coming from P18, is definitely something I am very, very pleased with. It’s not easy to move forward through the field here, especially when everyone is roughly on the same race pace. So all things considered, I’m very happy with P9 – it's a good way to end the last race of the season. It’s also a nice way to say goodbye to Sauber — Peter has such a legacy, he’s been in the industry so long and I have big respect for what he’s achieved.

“I think it was definitely a good season — a lot of positive things happened. We developed, evolved and grew as a team, and we put in a couple of really good highlights. The podium was nice to finally tick off my shoulder; I was very happy about that. Barcelona, Budapest, Monza, Austin — many really strong weekends, and of course a few where we didn’t maximise everything, but that’s the challenge in a long season. All in all, I think we can be relatively satisfied. We’ll digest the season now, enjoy the break, and then look ahead to the new chapter that is waiting for us.”

Gabriel Bortoleto, 11th

“I'm not going to lie – it's a bit disappointing to have finished just outside of the points today. Unfortunately, we struggled with bouncing from the first lap, and I don’t think we maximised our race as we should have. It’s a shame, because the car felt amazing yesterday and I really felt we could have scored some points today. Looking back at my first Formula One season, it’s been a special year for me with several good results and strong quali sessions, so there's definitely lots to be proud of – I couldn't have done this without the support of the team. It was a good and valuable year. The season is in the books now and I am looking forward to our future. I'm already keen to start working on next year and hopefully fight for bigger things.”

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal

“First, I want to extend my congratulations to Lando on securing his first championship. It was an incredible showdown and a fantastic spectacle to watch from the pit wall.

“Although there is a sense of disappointment today, it comes at the end of what has been an extraordinary season. We have experienced highs and lows, and ultimately scored points well beyond our initial expectations. To finish with 70 points and only place P9 in the Constructors’ Championship is unprecedented and shows what a close season this has been.

“Today once again highlighted the unpredictability of our year. We think a car issue resulted in Gabi lacking pace and, in hindsight, an earlier swap to the two-stop strategy with Nico would have been advantageous, especially given his pace in the closing stages. This is something we will review as we continue learning and improving.

“One consistent positive has been the performance and spirit of the pit crew, who, again, delivered solid performance in the pit lane. The progress this team has made this year is significant and provides us with real momentum heading into 2026.

“And finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Peter Sauber for his remarkable legacy and for shaping the team we are so proud to represent. As we move toward becoming the Audi Formula 1 Team in 2026, we do so with optimism, determination, and a clear sense of purpose.”

Williams

Williams did not manage to score in the final race of the season, so will have been relieved to have already secured P5 in the championship. Albon started on the soft tyre from towards the back of the grid, two-stopping his way to the flag. But a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane did not help his cause out there. As for Sainz, he manged to one-stop on the medium and hard tyre combination, running out of rubber late on to fight his way any further forward.

Alex Albon, 16th

"Firstly, I’m very happy for Lando and his Championship win. He’s taken a big step forward this year, risen to the pressure and his title is well-deserved.

"For us, it was a tricky race today. We had a great start, but we were never in a place where we had the tyre advantage, which meant we were stuck in a bit of a train.

"The last few races have been tough, but overall, it’s been a great season for us. I’m proud of the team and proud to finish top of the midfield. There’s no big secret behind it; just hard work, good leadership from James, and building some strong foundations. We’ve come a long way this season, and we’re heading into 2026 with a lot of optimism and a great mentality. I’m confident we can do great things next year, so I’m already excited to get back on track in 2026!"

Carlos Sainz, 13th

"We haven’t been strong all weekend and today was a normal race with not much going on. We committed to a one-stop strategy and got stuck in a train of DRS, so there was little to do from there with the pace we had.

"More importantly, looking at the season as a whole, it’s one to be proud of! I’ve stuck to my way of doing things, improved progressively throughout the year together with the team and, overall, we finished in good form. Fifth in the Constructors’ Championship was an ambitious target, and we got it, so I’m incredibly happy.

"We need to stay hungry and continue to push all together. We have built solid foundations for next year but there is always margin for improvement. Thanks to the entire team for their effort and to every single one of our fans out there, your support means everything to us!

"Last but not least, a massive congratulations to Lando on his first Drivers’ Championship! He’s an incredible driver and he has proven that you can achieve your highest goals staying true to yourself! Congrats my muppet friend! Well deserved!"

James Vowles, Team Principal

"First and foremost, congratulations to Lando on a well-deserved Championship. For us, this marks the end of a really successful 2025. In a couple of days, we'll be testing here in Abu Dhabi in preparation for 2026 and, in just a few weeks' time, the 2026 car will be a reality and I can't wait. This is a good moment to say thank you to everyone that has been behind us for not just this year but for many years. It's the start of our journey and I can't wait for what's next. Thank you very much."

Racing Bulls

Hadjar ran in the points in the early stages, but after pitting and coming back out in traffic, he lacked the pace to climb forwards and wound up finishing just ahead of his team mate. Lawson was penalised for erratic driving and earned himself a five-second time penalty for his troubles. With neither car scoring, Racing Bulls just held onto P6 in the championship by three points.

Isack Hadjar, 17th

"It was a very tough Sunday. We haven’t had enough pace the whole weekend to fight for our usual positions, and yesterday it was a surprise for me to put the car in P9. We started in the points, but we knew it would have been difficult for us to maintain that place. Looking at the positives and reflecting on my first F1 season, it’s been a great journey and I’m proud of everyone within VCARB for everything we achieved together. It’s not the final race we wanted but getting P6 in the Constructors’ Championship was our target and a great reward for all of us.”

Liam Lawson, 18th

“Congratulations to the team on P6 in the Constructors'. While we struggled with our strategy and pace today, we've had a strong season and achieved our target this weekend. I'm excited to get back to work after the short winter break. Next year will be a big opportunity with the team which I'm very excited and grateful for."

Alan Permane, Team Principal

“Today brings an end to a long season, but a really really great season for Racing Bulls. Sixth place in the Championship is amazing; we’ve only ever reached P6 once before, so it’s a huge achievement. It’s truly a testament to the commitment, passion and hard work within this team, both at the track and back at the factory. Each and every person can be really proud of themselves. There have been ups and downs all the way through and it really went down to the wire with Aston Martin but I’m incredibly happy.”

Alpine

Not to be for Alpine in the final race of the season. Starting from the back, both cars two-stopped as they tried to make progress up the field. But they have not had the pace here all weekend, and ultimately propped up the order. Gasly beat his team mate despite receiving a five-second time penalty for track limit infringements and having contact with the Kick Sauber of Hulkenberg, while Colapinto’s P20 meant the Argentine did not get a point on the board in 2025.

Pierre Gasly, 19th

“It was not a great race to end the season and there really is not a lot to say other than we tried our best but our pace was just not enough to really challenge. Looking back at the year as a whole, as a team, we can still take a lot from the season. I have been really impressed with how the team has handled a tough year where we have not been competitive. Despite its challenges, everyone has given their all and shown a really great mentality which we can take forwards to next year, so thank you to everyone trackside, at Enstone and at Viry for all their efforts this year. We have a lot of belief in the 2026 project and I am definitely looking forward to a clean slate and a fresh start for everyone. Finally, congratulations to Lando [Norris] on winning the title. It was a close one with Max [Verstappen] and Oscar [Piastri] and any of them could have taken it. For it to be decided by just two points is great for Formula One, so well done to all three, Lando managed to get it done and it's a big moment for him. One day we hope to be in that position and we will continue to work hard to hopefully one day do just that.”

Franco Colapinto, 20th

“It was a long and difficult race and, ultimately, we lacked pace all weekend. It's been a tricky stretch of races, and we haven't had the results we were expecting. It has been a tough end to the year, but everyone has kept pushing to the very end. It's a year we'd like to put behind us but learn and come back stronger from. Thanks to the entire team for their efforts this year in difficult circumstances. There's still a few weeks to push at the factory and wrap things up before the holidays. After that, it will be time to rest and reset for what will be an important year for myself and the team. Finally, congratulations to Lando [Norris]. He's had a great year and is a deserving champion.”

Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor

“Today's result probably summarises our season where the car has not been competitive enough. It has been a long and often tough season for everyone at the team. I know everyone is eager and motivated to put this campaign behind us and very much ready to push tirelessly to make the next one more of a success. Congratulations to McLaren and Lando Norris on winning both championships. Their level this year has been extraordinary and they have been the benchmark in Formula One this season. For now, the hard work doesn't stop as we look ahead to a better 2026.”

Pirelli

Mario Isola, Motorsport Director

“Congratulations to Lando Norris on winning his first drivers’ title. The battle went all the way to the final round of the season – which was one of the most closely-fought of the last few years thanks to the similarly competitive pace of the different teams. Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri certainly didn’t hold back today, giving us a thrilling final.

In terms of strategy, the majority of the teams opted for a one-stopper using the most consistent two compounds as we expected: in some cases, stretching the hard tyre stint for more than 40 laps. Even though there was no graining on the hardest compound, there were still inevitably some signs of wear in the final laps.

Among the drivers choosing the alternative strategy, the newly crowned champion Lando Norris stands out. He went for a two-stopper, probably prompted by the extra pit stop for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, using the two fresh sets of hard tyres that McLaren had saved in their build-up to the race.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton also used a fresh set of tyres for his final stint, which in this case was the medium. This excellent choice allowed him to make up several places, underlining how close the two strategic options were, as shown by our simulations.

Pirelli’s job does not stop here: we will be back on track on Tuesday together with all the teams for a full test day, A total of 10 mule cars piloted by the race drivers will try out the new 2026 tyre range, while 10 young drivers will take to the track with this year’s cars and tyres.”