Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".
Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.
Norris secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held entering the final round.
"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."
Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions 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."
The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.
"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."
Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.
"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my potential."
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 done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.
"Yes, absolutely, 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."
Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.
"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."
A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.
"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."
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Brian Hernandez
Brian Hernandez