Lando Norris Expresses Pride in Securing Maiden F1 Title His Way.

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions 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, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

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

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."