🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things 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 not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – 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 nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, 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 loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

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

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."