🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured 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 erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win 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 forceful 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 nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"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 got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

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

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

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