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

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

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

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

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners 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 respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘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 got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

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

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."