The 2025 motorsport season officially concluded with the traditional FIA end-of-year gala. Held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Lando Norris lifted his first Formula 1 World Championship trophy. Alongside the new world champion, Oscar Piastri was recognized as the third-place finisher in the championship. Max Verstappen was absent but sent a message for the attendees. McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Team Principal Andrea Stella also joined the stage to celebrate the team’s second consecutive Constructors’ Championship. Ferrari was represented as well, with Charles Leclerc attending to honor the team’s World Endurance Championship title.
Norris: “Living my dream, proud to have spent my life with McLaren”
In a day of formal attire, Lando Norris celebrated his first world title after clinching it the previous Sunday in Abu Dhabi. Receiving the trophy from the Uzbek Prime Minister, the British driver reflected on his career. “First of all, I want to thank McLaren, the team I’ve raced with for many years, for providing an incredible car that often made life easier. I also want to thank ‘Mr. Piastri,’ an incredible teammate who has helped me grow a lot over the past seasons. Being here is amazing; I’m living the dream I had as a child. I’m proud to have spent my life with McLaren and raced against champions like Lewis, Max, Seb, Fernando — drivers I have always admired.”
Norris recounted how managing pressure was key to his championship success. “Oscar certainly didn’t make life easy. There was intense competition between us, and then, from mid-season, Max arrived and pressured both the drivers and the team. I experienced extraordinary moments; winning in Monaco was a dream, as was Silverstone. I made mistakes along the way, but here I am, and I feel great.” After participating in the final post-season tests, Norris can finally enjoy a well-deserved break, though defending the number one next season will be challenging. “It will be tough, but I can’t wait,” he added.
Piastri: “A season of highs and lows, but valuable lessons learned”
Oscar Piastri took the stage before Norris to receive his third-place award. “I learned a lot this season,” the Australian said. “There were many highs, but also lows, yet it’s all experience. I believe I’ve learned lessons that will help me throughout my career. I’m looking forward to continuing to challenge Lando and pushing each other. Now we take a few weeks off, because it will start again quite quickly.”
Despite not winning the championship, Max Verstappen achieved an extraordinary comeback, recovering 102 points in the standings and narrowly missing the title by just two points. The former world champion could not attend the FIA gala due to health reasons but sent a message: “I’m sorry I can’t be with you, but doctors advised against flying. First, congratulations to Ben Sulayem on re-election, and to all the winners. Huge congrats to McLaren and especially Lando; you had an incredible season, and it was great to compete with you until the end.”
Stella: “Thanks to our drivers, we raced with fairness and integrity”
McLaren attended the FIA ceremony after defending their 2024 title. The Woking-based team excelled with a car that, even in the final year of the regulations, outperformed rivals, particularly in the first half of the season. “It was a fantastic season, and I’m amazed by the work of the team, our drivers, and Andrea Stella,” said Zak Brown. “I’m proud of how McLaren raced this year, and that’s exactly how we intend to perform next year.”
Team Principal Andrea Stella praised the team’s unity and philosophy of collaboration. “Drivers complete the work, bringing results, victories, and podiums. They made us Constructors’ Champions again, and we are very proud of how they challenged each other, allowing McLaren to race with fairness and integrity.”
Leclerc attends to honor Ferrari’s WEC title
Charles Leclerc, though finishing outside the top three in F1, attended the FIA gala to celebrate Ferrari’s World Endurance Championship success. “It’s incredibly special to drive for Ferrari,” he said. “It has always been my dream to race for the team, and tonight I’m here to support our big family, which achieved incredible success in WEC. Ferrari has left its mark in motorsport, and now it’s our turn to meet expectations like our endurance teammates.”
Ferrari also received the ‘FIA Innovation Award.’ On future Le Mans plans, Charles Leclerc added: “Absolutely! I’ll need to find a way to combine F1 and Le Mans because if I do something, I do it to win, so preparation will be key.” Antonello Coletta, head of the Hypercar program in WEC, commented: “I’m sure Enzo Ferrari would be proud of our achievements. In 2025, we won four races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third consecutive time, captured the Constructors’ title, and our three teams finished in the top three of the drivers’ standings. This demonstrates the value of the project and the unity of the team. Importantly, we’ve brought the title back to Italy after 53 years.”
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