Lando Norris Reveals Satisfaction in Securing First F1 Title On His Own Terms.

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive 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 fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery 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 was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship 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 was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "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 very proud."