🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, 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 P3 finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"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 experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

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

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

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

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."