Is Lando Norris a deserving F1 world champion?

Lando Norris clinched his maiden F1 drivers' championship at the 2025 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, ultimately taking the crown from Max Verstappen by two points.

The McLaren driver outlasted team-mate Oscar Piastri in a titanic campaign-long battle, with Red Bull star dragging himself back into contention over the final rounds of the year.

In the end, it was a tense and fraught run-in, and it is the widely-held view that any of the three title protagonists would have been worthy winners.

After taking victory in the curtain-raising Australian Grand Prix, Norris had to play second fiddle to Piastri, who was in imperious form, over the first half of the year, whilst Verstappen fell away amid struggles with his RB21.

When the eventual champion's MCL39 let go at the Dutch Grand Prix, which opened the second part of the year, it left him with a 34-point deficit to the Australian driver.

However, having already refound his form, he put together a strong string of results as Piastri faltered.

It proved decisive as he managed to prevail against Verstappen, who did not finish off the podium in the final 10 rounds of the year, including six wins over that period.

There were flash points that some will point to as critical moments across the campaign, such as the Dutchman hitting George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix or the McLaren switch at Monza — or that the Woking-based squad's equal treatment stance let Verstappen back in to the fight.

But the question remains: is Norris a deserving world champion?

Let us know what you think in the comment section and by voting below in the latest poll by RacingNews365.