🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural 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 believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the final round.

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

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps 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."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

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 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."