Norris confesses Leclerc kept him on edge in Abu Dhabi: 'It was annoying'

Speaking to Sky Sports following his championship triumph, the 26-year-old reflected on several nervy moments on track involving the Scuderia Ferrari driver.

Norris revealed how Leclerc made his drive to the podium finish much trickier than he had anticipated.

“Charles was just always there, wasn't he? It was annoying,” Norris began.

“I love Charles. He's a great guy. He came up and congratulated me, but I told him how annoying he was. He was always there in my mirrors the whole race, and he was the only one really putting me under pressure,” he added.

“It wasn’t the guys ahead—it was actually him behind. He always made my life just a little bit trickier,” the McLaren driver concluded.

Norris was required to finish on the podium to claim the drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi. The British driver, who qualified in second place for the race, found himself under pressure from Leclerc for much of the early stages, shortly after being overtaken by teammate Oscar Piastri.

Norris, however, successfully fended off the challenge from the Monegasque driver to claim a third-place finish, which was enough for him to win the 2025 drivers’ title by points.

Despite their championship success, Norris and the McLaren team will be required to pay fees in excess of $8 million for the 2026 campaign. The fee is part of the required entry fee and super license fee that teams and drivers pay ahead of the start of a new season.

With the post-2025 season finale action continuing at the Yas Marina Circuit, our paddock update is the place to be.

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