I did it my way, says emotional champion Norris

ABU DHABI, Dec 7 : In the end, Lando Norris won the Formula One championship his way.

The McLaren driver finished third, behind Red Bull's winner and title rival Max Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri, in the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi but that was only part of the story.

"I believe I won the championship this year my way - by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver," the Briton told reporters in a champion's news conference before the serious partying started.

Norris accepted other champions had been more aggressive, more daring, but he had done what he needed to do and had performed under pressure.

"My motivation is not here to prove I’m better than someone else. That’s not what makes me happy," he explained. "I’m not going to wake up tomorrow and go, "I’m so happy because I beat Max." I honestly, deep down, don’t care about that.

"I made my people happy. That’s all I really care about at the end of the day. I’m not going to wake up happy tomorrow because I can just go and say to myself, "I’m world champion." It might make me smile, but it’s not going to be the truth.

"It’s going to be 'My mom’s happy. My dad’s happy. My sisters are happy. My brother’s happy. My friends are happy.' And that’s all I need in my life."

MEMORIES OF PAST SACRIFICES

Calm until the final few laps, Norris said his mind filled with memories of childhood and sacrifices made and he "started to shake a little bit".

By the time he crossed the line and the team radio exploded with congratulations from the pitwall, he was in tears with a wobbly voice and the extent of his emotion broadcast over the airwaves.

"So much goes into achieving what we've achieved today," he said, recalling his early days watching Formula One on television and