Congratulations are in order for Lando Norris after securing his first F1 championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer leading the tributes.The McLaren driver finished third on a tense night at Yas Marina, a result that sealed his championship over Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri at the end of one of the closest title fights in recent seasons. Starmer shared his message shortly after the race on X, writing:“Congratulations @LandoNorris, Britain’s new @F1 champion! An unbelievable season and so well deserved.”The finale began with all three contenders still in the hunt. Max Verstappen needed a win paired with Norris finishing fourth or lower to claim a fifth straight crown. Norris had the simplest route, as a podium guaranteed the title for the British driver. While Verstappen got the win, Norris managed the pressure through pit cycles and held on to P3, which secured the title by two points.The tributes extended beyond Britain. Verstappen’s mother shared a message on Instagram, writing:“So proud of you, after such a comeback and never giving up 💪 congrats to Lando.🏆”Drivers across the paddock congratulated Lando Norris immediately after the cooldown lap. Verstappen, who won the race and finished the season on 421 points, met him in the parc fermé. Piastri, who ended the year third on 410, joined the celebrations as well.Lando Norris pays respects to title competitors and dedicates win to parentsMax Verstappen of Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris of McLaren on the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi podium. Source: GettyFrom the opening lap, Lando Norris had to stay calm as McLaren’s two-stop strategy shaped the race. Oscar Piastri moved him to third early and alongside polesitter Max Verstappen controlled the front.Norris, starting on mediums, dived in for his first stop on Lap 17 with a fast 2.1-second stop that kept him in contention. He passed Kimi Antonelli, Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll, and Liam Lawson in the next five laps before settling behind Yuki Tsunoda, who defended aggressively and later received a penalty for multiple direction changes.The second stop on Lap 41 placed Norris in third on hards, ahead of George Russell, with enough margin to breathe. In the front, Verstappen kept the race under control, while Piastri managed his longer opening stint before rejoining comfortably ahead in second. After securing the title, Norris spoke openly about the emotions that followed the chequered flag.“I've not cried in a while. I didn't think I'd cry, but I did,” he said, via F1. “It's a long journey. First of all, I want to say a big thanks to my guys, everyone at McLaren. My parents... I'm not crying. My mum, my dad, they were the ones who supported me since the beginning.”He also acknowledged the two drivers who pushed him hardest throughout the season.“It feels amazing. Now I know what Max feels like a little bit, and I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors all season. It's been a pleasure to race against both of them, and I've learnt a lot from both of them as well.”The championship marks Lando Norris’ first world title after seven years of steady progression in F1.