Lando Norris Expresses Pride in Claiming First F1 Title His Way.

The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner 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 succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure 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 won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful 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. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick 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 fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion 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 often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable 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 come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."