Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".
Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.
Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead Norris held entering the last race.
"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe 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 title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."
Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.
"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."
Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.
"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."
The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.
"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."
However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.
"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."
A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.
"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."
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