F1 fans narrowly deem Lando Norris a 'deserving' 2025 world champion

Lando Norris has been narrowly judged by Formula 1 fans as a deserving world champion following his dramatic 2025 title triumph, though a significant portion believe Max Verstappen was the more worthy contender after a staggering comeback.

Why it matters:

The debate highlights the subjective nature of 'deserving' a championship in a sport where the final points tally is the ultimate decider. It underscores the tension between rewarding season-long consistency, which Norris displayed, and acknowledging a dominant late-season performance, which Verstappen delivered. The split in fan opinion reflects the dramatic narrative of the 2025 season.

The details:

Norris secured his first world title by a mere two points over Verstappen at the Abu Dhabi finale, ending the Dutchman's four-year reign. While Verstappen won the season's final race, Norris's third-place finish behind teammate Oscar Piastri was enough to clinch the crown. The debate stems from Verstappen's phenomenal second-half recovery; after falling 104 points behind following the Dutch Grand Prix, he mounted a spectacular charge that fell just short of a record-equalling fifth consecutive title.

By the numbers:

A RacingNews365 poll captured the divided sentiment among fans:

• 48.2% believe Norris is a deserving champion.
• 41.2% are adamant the title should have gone to Verstappen.
• Only 10.6% believed Oscar Piastri, who led the championship for much of the campaign, was the most deserving.

The big picture:

Norris's victory, officially recognized at the FIA Prize Giving Gala, marks a historic shift in F1's competitive order, breaking the stranglehold of Red Bull and Verstappen. However, the close margin and the nature of Verstappen's comeback have fueled a classic sporting debate about merit versus outcome. It reinforces that in F1, a title can be won through strategic points accumulation across a season, not solely by having the fastest car or the most wins at the end.