🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a 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 title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became 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 step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty 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 early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

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