Just when it looked like Max Verstappen was going to come from behind to pinch the F1 title again.
Just like he did in 2021 when the stewards behaved disgracefully and gifted him the title from under the nose of the 'real champion' Lewis Hamilton.
Max Verstappen celebrates his first driver's title in 2021 [ABC News]
The 2021 drivers' championship
That was a dark winter's day for Formula 1 and I know some fans who have never watched a race since, they were so disgusted with the stewards.
It was widely suspected that Verstappen and/or his team Red Bull Racing had put undue pressure on the stewards. Maybe cash changed hands. Nevertheless, they made the incorrect decision and then closed ranks.
[Video courtesy of YouTube]
December 2025
It was looking fishy again when both McLarens, of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, were disqualified on a technicality in the penultimate race in Brazil.
"Uh, oh!" I thought! "Here we go again ....."
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris [@McLarenF1]
The three contenders, Verstappen, Norris and Piastri qualified in that order. If Verstappen won the race, Norris had to finish at least third.
Starting from second on the grid Norris finished ..... THIRD!
In so doing, he took the F1 Drivers' Championship 2025 by two points from the Dutchman.
Phew!
Norris broke down in tears on hearing over his car radio confirmation that he was champion for the first time .....
..... at the age of 26.
[Instagram]
Closing thoughts
We already hated Verstappen before 2020, just like we loathed (the cheating) Michael Schumacher before his dreadful ski-ing accident.
It's a shame the German is a 'vegetable', of course, but some of us still hate him for his arrogant demeanour and suspect driving before his ski-ing accident!
Michael Schumacher on the "piste" [El Confidencial]
Stop Press:
Lando Norris has confirmed he will use the number "1" on his McLaren next year after winning the F1 Drivers' Championship.
Only the reigning F1 world champion can use number "1" on their car, so Norris will take that away from Max Verstappen who has been running that number for the last four years.
[BBC]
© Sporty Sam
Pictures:
@McLarenF1, ABC News, BBC, El Confidencial, Instagram, YouTube
Thanks:
F1, Paul Whitelock, SKY News, Wikipedia
Tags:
@McLarenF1, ABC News, BBC, El Confidencial, F1, F1 Drivers' Championship, F1 world champion, F1 world title, Instagram, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, McLaren, Michael Schumacher, number "1", Oscar Piastri, Paul Whitelock, Red Bull, SKY News, Sporty Sam, The Sporting News, Wikipedia, YouTube