🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed 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 happy. 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 felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook 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 McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."