The Australian driver made an early statement by overtaking his teammate at the start with a brilliant move through Turn 9, but he couldn’t get past Max Verstappen for the win, ultimately finishing third in the championship.

Contrary to expectations, the Dutchman didn’t slow down to keep the pack together, ultimately helping Norris’s race — allowing him to clinch the title despite finishing third.

Reflecting on his race, the Aussie said: "Honestly, pretty good. There wasn't anything left out there. Obviously, we tried a bit of a gamble on the strategy to give ourselves some different options and hope that the stars aligned and give ourselves the best chance, but ultimately, in the end, that didn't happen.

Piastri also had kind words for his teammate, calling him a deserving world champion after a hard-fought battle throughout the season: "I think a very deserving one. I think I know that every weekend I go on track it's going to be tough and I think we've pushed each other through the last three years.

As Norris crossed the finish line, he broke down in tears over the radio, finally realizing he had secured the world championship. The Brit navigated a tense race, keeping third place — the final position that still put him in contention for the title — all the way to the checkered flag.

His emotional radio message was met with celebrations from race engineer William Joseph and McLaren CEO Zak Brown, both ecstatic over their driver’s triumph.