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

The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title 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 erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind 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 different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

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

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously 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 as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."