🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."