🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up 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 overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted 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 champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – 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 was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable 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 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 emerge stronger the defeat.

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