🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

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

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"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 never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

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

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

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

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