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

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted 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 title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little 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 title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship 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 Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, reflected 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 a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."