🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud 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 triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect 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, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, 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 always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title 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 campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However 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."