Norris secures first F1 world title in Abu Dhabi, celebrating a clean, calm and hard-fought triumph

Lando Norris has spoken of his pride after securing his maiden Formula One world championship, declaring that he was glad to have “won it my way”. The McLaren driver sealed the title with a composed third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, enough to maintain his slender advantage over Max Verstappen, who won the race but fell two points short of overturning Norris’s lead.

The 26-year-old, who has faced criticism in the past for lacking what some describe as a “killer instinct”, insisted he had demonstrated that clean, fair racing could still deliver the sport’s biggest prize. “That’s one of the things that makes me most proud,” Norris said as he celebrated with his McLaren crew and family. “I’ve just managed to win it the way I wanted to win it, which was not by being someone I’m not.

“Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past. I’m happy. I just won it my way  by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver. At times, could I have been more aggressive and got off the brakes and had a few people over? I certainly could have done. Is that the way I want to go racing? Is that me? It’s not.”

Despite appearing calm for much of the finale, Norris admitted the final laps tested even his usually composed demeanour. “I felt calm until three corners to go , I started to shake a little bit,” he said. “Then I got to see the team when I went over the line and this is a moment that I’ll never forget.”

His path to the title was far from straightforward. Norris had trailed Oscar Piastri by 34 points after a mechanical retirement at Zandvoort in August, a moment he now identifies as a turning point. “I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’” he said.

In response, Norris brought new personnel into his support structure, refining his approach and sharpening his mental resilience. “Working with more professionals in different areas unlocked more of my ability,” he explained. “When you saw that, I had that run of great results, which is ultimately what got me the championship in the end.”

Verstappen, who mounted a strong late-season charge and won eight races – the most of any driver this year remained upbeat despite missing out on a fifth title. He said he had “no regrets” about his campaign, noting that he had endured a turbulent relationship with his machinery. “I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times,” he admitted. “I always tried to extract the most from it, even in the difficult weekends.”

When pressed about the incident at the Spanish Grand Prix, where he was penalised for deliberately colliding with George Russell and losing nine points, Verstappen bristled. “You forget about all the other stuff that happened in my season,” he snapped. “A championship is won over 24 rounds. I’ve had a lot of early Christmas presents in the second half of the season so you can question that, too.”

Oscar Piastri, who finished second in Abu Dhabi and had led the championship longer than Norris, described a mixture of disappointment and pride. The Australian, who collected seven wins across the season, said: “Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending. But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a race car driver, myself as a person. Even in the tough moments, I’ve learned how I can be stronger in future.”

He added: “Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I can be very proud of the season I’ve had and the lessons I’ll take with me.