The seven moments that decided the 2026 Formula 1 world championship
Seven pivotal race incidents separated Lando Norris from Oscar Piastri as the McLaren driver secured his maiden world title by the narrowest of margins. Watch how it really happened.
Lando Norris has been crowned the Formula One world champion in a title race that went down to the wire in a three-way battle with Max Verstappen and Australia’s Oscar Piastri.
While the final championship points finished with Norris on 423, Verstappen with 421 and Piastri on 410 – the story could have easily been so different.
Here’s the moments that could have delivered a different world champion in 2025:
1. ANTONELLI’S SPIN
At the penultimate round, the Qatar Grand Prix, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli had a late moment which allowed Norris to overtake and finish fourth.
The jump from fifth to fourth was a two points leap for Norris. At the time Red Bull engineers accused Antonelli of letting Norris pass, but they later apologised after seeing the incident while Verstappen personally reached out to the F1 rookie who faced threats online from fans who thought he was deliberately assisting McLaren in the title race.
Without those two points, Verstappen would be crowned world champion with eight wins compared to seven for Norris.
2. PAPAYA RULES
It was the critical flashpoint of the infamous Papaya rules at the Monza Grand Prix when McLaren bosses ordered Oscar Piastri to give second place back to Norris after a slow pit stop.
At the time, Piastri was the championship leader and the decision did untold damage to the Australian’s mentality for the rest of the season.
But for Norris, those three extra points from 15 to 18, ultimately proved decisive in the two-point world title win. There is no way McLaren would’ve known that controversial call would be so pivotal in the final tally.
While Piastri is confident the Papaya rules will remain next year, and priority won’t be giving to defending world champion Norris, he also added he expected “full fairness” moving forward.
“I don’t think that will change anything,” Piastri said.
“For me he’s obviously had a great season this year and a deserving champion, but he’s still Lando Norris — it’s not like he’s become Superman.
“So, I don’t think things will change with that. I’m expecting, obviously, full fairness from the team and kind of equality going forward and I don’t have any concerns that that will change at all.”
3. HOME TOWN HORRORS
If one moment truly cost Oscar Piastri, it was his spin at the Melbourne Grand Prix. Running second and challenging Norris for the win, Piastri skidded off the track in the heavy rain and got momentarily bogged in the grass.
He eventually got back underway, reversing out of danger, but could only manage to recover to place ninth.
From banking 18 potential points to pocketing just two, those 16 points actually cost Piastri the world title more than any other team conspiracy throughout 2025.
4. BARGE-LONA
Back in June, when Verstappen thought he was no chance at the title as the McLaren’s raced off into the sunset, the Red Bull driver suffered a red-mist moment he would later come to regret. Told to relinquish a position to George Russell, Verstappen then appeared to intentional create contact between the two drivers as his Mercedes rival tried to pass. FIA officials gave him a 10-second penalty, as he plummeted from fifth to tenth in the race and costing him nine championship points.
“You forget all the other stuff that happened in my season, the only thing you mention is Barcelona,” Verstappen said in his Abu Dhabi post-race press conference.
“I knew that would come.”
After a lengthy pause Verstappen added: “You’re giving me a stupid grin now.’’
5. STRATEGY SMOKESCREEN
While the Monza madness angered many Piastri fans, the Hungary highjinks were another major season flashpoint as the differing strategies between the two McLaren drivers resulted in a significant 14-point swing.
Piastri had the faster car but was put on a two-stop strategy, while Norris starting behind him in third, was given a one-stop strategy.
That meant Norris held on for the race win and Piastri, operating under different team strategy, could only manage second place.
In the overall scheme of things, if Norris had seven points less and Piastri seven points more, Verstappen is the world champion.
6. STACKING THE DECK
This was the hammer blow to Piastri’s world title and a crucial moment where many F1 fans turned into immediate conspiracy theorists that McLaren just may have been favouring Norris.
With Piastri leading the Qatar Grand Prix, and looking unstoppable for a race victory, McLaren opted against pitting when the safety car came out on lap seven, while every other team in pitlane brought their drivers in.
At the time Piastri was ahead, but with Norris in third place McLaren risked double-stacking during the pit stop which may have seen Norris tumble down the grid and get stuck in heavy traffic.
McLaren claimed the risk of double-stacking was not behind their decision, but it was a bizarre choice that ultimately cost Piastri a certain race victory.
The 14-point swing between Piastri and Verstappen would have created an entirely different scenario in the final round and left McLaren exposed to a potential Red Bull title victory.
7. BA-KUKU
With his head scrambled from the Monza madness, Piastri delivered his biggest brain explosion of 2025 with a costly DNF in Baku.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was where Piastri claimed his second career F1 victory in 2024, but Piastri admitted 2025 in Baku was “the worst weekend I’ve ever had in racing” as he bombed out in qualifying to start ninth and then crashed out on the opening lap.
That DNF sparked a run of six straight races where Piastri failed to finish on the podium, including the infamous disqualification in Las Vegas where both he and Norris were stripped of their result for illegal plank wear.
Originally published as The seven moments that decided the 2026 Formula 1 world championship
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