🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not 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."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no 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 Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "However 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."