Lando Norris secured the 2025 F1 world championship on Sunday, and Lewis Hamilton was among the first ones to congratulate him after the race. The McLaren driver held on to a tense third place at Yas Marina, sealing the title by two points.Norris entered the finale needing a podium to clinch his first crown. Max Verstappen delivered the win he required to keep his hopes alive, but couldn't bridge the points gap as Norris finished P3. The result marked McLaren’s first driver's title since Hamilton in 2008.Hamilton, finishing eighth after a long fight through traffic, embraced Norris in the media pen and said:“Congratulations, I’m so happy for you mate! I told you.”The clip quickly circulated across social media, reflecting the respect between the two British drivers.Verstappen needed Lando Norris to finish fourth or lower to overturn the deficit. Oscar Piastri would have required early chaos to enter the fight. Norris lost track position in the opening laps, slipping to third, but maintained the margin to the chasing pack. The title turned on his ability to control that final stint.McLaren executed a two-stop strategy that kept Norris clear of the midfield. He kept the gap in the closing laps and sealed the podium and the championship.Lewis Hamilton reflects on 2025 after Abu Dhabi P8 finish: "Long season, guys"Lewis Hamilton of Scuderia Ferrari before the Abu Dhabi GP. Source: GettyFerrari’s weekend began on the back foot. Lewis Hamilton’s car never looked settled through practice, and a late crash in FP3 only made things worse. Qualifying for him ended in Q1 for the third straight race, placing him 16th on the grid. Charles Leclerc reached Q3 but remained outside the fight for pole.The race began with Hamilton on softs. He climbed to P14 on the first lap and moved up to P13 soon after. Ferrari called him in early on lap nine for hard tires, dropping him to P18. As the field cycled through stops, he made progress and reached P12 by the end of lap 17. Leclerc’s first stop placed Hamilton briefly inside the points as he faced high tire temperatures and rear-end grip.Hamilton’s second stop came on lap 32 for new mediums. He rejoined in P19 and faced a train of cars ahead. He cleared all six drivers on hard in the following laps and settled into eighth by lap 47. The pace stabilized, and he held the position to the finish despite sliding on the tires. After the race, he shared a final message with the team:“Long season, guys… Thank you for your kindness, I’m grateful for all the hard work. I’ll always fight for you guys, always. That’s it.”Lewis Hamilton closes 2025 without a podium for the first time in his career. Ferrari ends the season without a win and with another weekend defined by recovery rather than opportunity. He has already spoken of returning stronger in 2026 as the new regulations arrive, aiming to rebuild with a fresh car and a clean start after a demanding year.