Lando Norris is the new Formula One world champion after finishing third in the season-ending Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.
The race at Yas Marina Circuit was won by Max Verstappen but it was McLaren driver Norris who was victorious in the drivers' championship after finishing behind the Dutchman and teammate Oscar Piastri.
Verstappen crossed the line 12.5 seconds clear of runner-up Piastri with Norris 3.9 seconds behind his McLaren teammate.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth with George Russell of Mercedes completing the top five.
It meant Norris had ended Verstappen's four-year F1 domination albeit with only a two-point advantage over the Red Bull driver. Piastri was a further 11 points behind Verstappen.
Norris become the 11th British driver to win the world championship, having clinched his maiden crown in Abu Dhabi, and the first since Lewis Hamilton in 2020. It is McLaren's first drivers' and constructors' title double since 1998.
"I haven't cried in awhile, I didn't think I would cry but I did," Norris said on the podium at a floodlit Yas Marina. "I want to thank my mum, my dad, they've supported me since the beginning.
"It feels amazing, I know now what Max feels like a little bit. I want to congratulate both Max and Oscar, I've enjoyed it, it's been a long year!" he added.
Norris needed only to be in the top three at the Yas Marina Circuit to seal the crown, and he duly obliged with an impressive drive - which even saw him face a stewards' investigation for driving off the road when he passed Max Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
Norris escaped punishment and even though Verstappen won the race from pole position - to end the season with more victories than anyone else - it was not enough to derail his McLaren rival's championship charge.
"I had no idea [about that]," continued Norris. "I don't care. I knew what I did was fine so I had nothing to worry about.
"I am trying to enjoy the moment because not many people can experience what I have experienced this year so I am crazy happy for everyone and for me.
Assessing his road to victory, Norris added: "As we've seen many times, anything can happen. So I just kept pushing. I wanted to fight to the end. [Verstappen and Piastri] certainly did not make my life easy this year. But I am happy!
"It has been a long journey with McLaren, I've been with them for nine years. For me to bring something back to them, I feel like I did my part for the team this year so I'm proud of myself. I'm even more proud for everyone who I hopefully made cry.
"It is incredible and pretty surreal. I dreamed of this for a long, long time, I mean everyone does. A lot goes into a season like this, a lot of ups and downs but none of that matters as long as you come out on top and that is what we managed to do.
"It has been the last 16 to 17 years of my life chasing this dream and today we did it.
"When I was on the back foot this year, that is when I did my best and showed the best of me and I did what I needed to do today.
"I have got a lot of people here and I need to embarrass them on a day like today and put smiles on a few faces. I love you mum, dad, family. This is for my mum and my dad because they let me chase this dream and I have to share it with them."
Piastri, who had led the championship for much of the season before being overtaken by Norris in Mexico, finished third in the standings.
Sunday's season-closer was the first time the title was decided by a contest involving more than two drivers since a four-way scrap at the final race in Abu Dhabi in 2010.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown said he was "unbelievably proud" of his team and the two drivers. "A lot of people said that it was going to be impossible to pull off, it's just a dream racing with these two guys," he said. "Oscar and Lando have been awesome all year; this Max guy is pretty hard to beat.
"So well deserved from everyone, can't wait to get back to the factory and celebrate with the entire team. We have a great group here, but we have a lot of men and women back at McLaren.
"To us, it's the right way to go racing with two awesome racing drivers. Very proud of how everyone conducted themselves, the teamwork, the highs and lows, and how we dealt with the lows.
"The teamwork and everyone at McLaren have done such an amazing job, great pit stops today, great strategy."
