Lando Norris Reveals Satisfaction in Securing First F1 Title His Way.

Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming 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 content. 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 closing moments 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 moment 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 DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of 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 done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical 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 lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."