On a weekend where Lando Norris was crowned Formula One world champion for the first time, Liam Lawson could only cross the finish line 18th after being hit by a penalty in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
While the Kiwi had been in contention for the points – and sitting as high as fifth before he pitted – a five-second time penalty ruined any chance Lawson had of a top 10 finish.
Lawson was cited for driving erratically in defending the Haas of Ollie Bearman at the turn six chicane, and ended up at the back of the field once his penalty was served.
At the front of the grid, Max Verstappen converted pole position into his eighth win of the season – the most of any driver in 2025. However, it wasn’t enough, as Norris did what he needed to do to end the Dutchman’s four-year run as world champion.
Needing to only finish on the podium after qualifying second, Norris managed just that, despite losing a place to teammate Oscar Piastri on the opening lap.
With the constructors title already secured, McLaren are the first side since Red Bull in 2023 to complete the double, as Norris became the 35th different driver to be crowned champion.
Norris claimed the title by just two points, sitting with 423 to Verstappen’s 421. Those two points can be traced back to Qatar last week, where Norris pulled off a late overtake on Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, to finish fourth on the night.
However, Verstappen will rue what could have been, after a penalty in the Spanish Grand Prix for deliberately driving into Mercedes’ George Russell saw him relegated from fifth to 10th, and cost him nine points in the championship standings.
Oscar Piastri, who led the standings for most of the season, finished second in the race, and third in the championship, with 410 points. Both Norris and Piastri finished the season with seven wins apiece.
The race was tough for both Racing Bulls cars, as Lawson’s teammate Isack Hadjar fell from ninth to 17th in his final race for the team.
Regardless, with Lawson’s future confirmed, staying put at Racing Bulls in 2026, the Kiwi completes a season that’s seen incredible highs and lows.
While he was dropped by Red Bull’s senior side just two races into the year, Lawson recovered well to finish 14th in the drivers championship, scoring points on seven occasions to help Racing Bulls finish sixth in the constructors championship.
Starting 13th, Lawson made up two places by the end of the first lap. The Kiwi smartly went wide off the start line into turn one, and overtook the pair of Bearman and Carlos Sainz, to sit one place outside the points.
With Yuki Tsunoda in 10th, Lawson kept within one second – in the final race where Drag Reduction System – will be used, as the Kiwi faced a challenge from Bearman, and Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari behind.
By lap eight, Lawson began to drop back from Tsunoda ahead, and opened the door for the Haas behind him, as the first set of pit stops loomed.
On lap 11, both Lawson and Bearman were cited by the stewards, before the Kiwi was hit with a five-second penalty for erratic driving at the turn six chicane. Bearman was cleared of any wrongdoing.
As cars pitted ahead of him, Lawson moved up into the points, and sat as high as fifth before he pitted to serve his penalty. Sitting seventh when he entered the pits, Lawson emerged down in 20th once his penalty was served.
More than 10 seconds back from the pair of Alpines, Lawson climbed up to 18th when the pair of Antonelli and Alex Albon both pitted. Albon was himself hit by a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane, as Lawson tangled with the back markers making their second stops.
But that was ultimately as good as it got for Lawson, as Racing Bulls committed to a one-stop strategy that saw him 18th, as 2025 came to an end.
Formula One will return on March 8 2026, for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.