🔗 Share this article

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

The champion highlighted 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". He maintains that winning the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," 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."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

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

"I thought: ‘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 unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, 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 excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events 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 McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."