An uneventful yet tense Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday (Dec. 7) saw Lando Norris do enough to claim his first-ever Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship over race winner Max Verstappen and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, controlling his destiny in third after being passed by Piastri in the opening laps and working cleanly through the field during key pit cycles.
Wyatt Watson, Peter Molloy and Alex Gintz join the show one final time in 2025 to talk Norris’ accomplishment and look back on his and McLaren’s rise from the bottom of the grid in 2023 to now.
F1 Review: Lando “Can Do!” Lando Norris Crowned World Champion As Max Verstappen Takes Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Win
The trio also analyzes whether this was Verstappen’s greatest season of all time despite not winning the championship.
Finally, the three discuss the departure of Helmut Marko from Red Bull Racing and what they look forward to the most for the new regulations in 2026.
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“The Pit Straight” is Frontstretch‘s open-wheel racing podcast, available during the racing season weekly on Tuesdays on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and right here on the web.
Wyatt Watson has followed motorsports closely since 2007. He joined Frontstretch as a journalist in February 2023 after serving in the United States Navy for five years as an Electronic Technician Navigation working on submarines. Wyatt is one of Frontstretch's primary IndyCar correspondents, providing exclusive video content on site. He hosts Frontstretch's Through the Gears podcast and occasionally The Pit Straight.You can find Wyatt's written work in columns such as Friday Faceoff and 2-Headed Monsteras well as exclusive IndyCar features. Wyatt also contributes to Frontstretch's social media team, posting unique and engaging content for Frontstretch.
Wyatt Watson can be found on X @WyattWRacing