Lando Norris proud to 'win F1 title my manner' without having to be aggressive

Newly topped System 1 champion Lando Norris gained the title “the way in which I needed to win it”, and felt he’d drawn essentially the most satisfaction from making these closest to him glad.

In a tense Abu Dhabi encounter, Norris accomplished his mission of ending within the high three to safe the 2025 title, beating a resurgent Max Verstappen by two factors and team-mate Oscar Piastri by 13.

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Via his profession Norris has courted criticism for missing aggression on-track, particularly in battles versus Verstappen, though he has persistently refuted the concept that he must win championships by dropping that method.

In his solo press convention, recent from his victory lap across the paddock, Norris did admit that there have been occasions that he maybe may have pursued a extra aggressive method in fight – however nonetheless felt glad that he’d been true to himself in successful this yr’s championship.

“That is one of many issues that makes me most proud,” Norris started. “I really feel like I’ve simply managed to win it the way in which I needed to win it, which was not by being somebody I am not – like attempting to be as aggressive as Max, or as forceful as all of the champions may need been previously, no matter it might be.

“I am glad. I simply gained it my manner. I am glad I may exit and be myself and win it ‘Lando’s manner’, as Andrea [Stella] would inform me.

“Originally, may I’ve gone out and been extra of that individual you in all probability need me to be? At occasions, I may have performed. However I might have been much less proud about it in some methods.

Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing

Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / LAT Photographs by way of Getty Photographs

“In order that’s why I am very pleased with myself by way of I stored my cool. I stored the concentrate on myself and I acquired essentially the most out of how I’m.

“I actually hope it would not change something I do, the way in which I believe, the way in which I do issues. I consider I’ve gained the championship this yr my manner by being a good driver, by attempting to be an sincere driver.”

Norris paid tribute to the funding in him from McLaren, whom he joined as a growth driver initially of 2017, alongside along with his mother and father.

He instructed that “this isn’t my world championship, that is ours” and felt it was a great way of repaying the religion and energy expended by these closest to him.

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“I really feel proud, however I do not really feel proud as a result of I’ll get up tomorrow and go ‘I beat everybody’, and I am not proud as a result of I get to simply say I am a world champion,” he stated.

“I am proud as a result of I simply really feel like I made a whole lot of different folks glad. I made my engineer, Will [Joseph], Jarv [Andrew Jarvis, performance engineer] as properly.

“They do not get to see their household a lot. They’ve seen me develop up greater than they’ve seen their very own children develop up. I really feel unhealthy about that.

“However the truth that they put a lot effort into making me carry out and serving to us all carry out, I get to make them really feel like their time has been hopefully a little bit bit price it. That is what makes me so glad.”

Pictures from Abu Dhabi GP – Race

Lando Norris, McLaren