🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the last race.

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

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments 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 after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed 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. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... 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 campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

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