🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."