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

The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old 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 took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"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 aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

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

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no 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 controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."