Lando Norris Expresses Pride in Securing Maiden F1 Title On His Own Terms.

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted 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 said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no 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."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget 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."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly 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 little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."