I won it my way – Lando Norris emotional after securing F1 title in Abu Dhabi

An emotional Lando Norris broke down in tears before declaring he did it “my way” after he was crowned champion of the world in Formula One’s season-finale in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The 26-year-old drove into the history books by finishing third at the Yas Marina Circuit, and beating Max Verstappen, who won from pole position, to the title by just two points.

Norris’ McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri finished runner-up and had to settle for third in the championship race.

Norris was in tears on his in-lap, his voice crackling over the radio, before he left the McLaren which carried him to glory, and shook hands with Verstappen and Piastri and hugged his mother, Cisca, and father, Adam, with his fluorescent crash helmet still on.

“Oh God, I have not cried in a while,” Norris said as he was interviewed on the pit-straight with fireworks lighting up the sky. I didn’t think I would cry but I did.

“It has been a long journey. I look like a loser!”

David Coulthard, a 13-time winner who was conducting the post-race interview, replied: “You look like a winner to me!”

Norris added: “It is incredible and pretty surreal. It has been the last 16 or 17 years of my life chasing this dream and today we did it!

“There have been ups and downs but none of that matters as long as you come out on top. I felt calm until the final three corners, I started to shake a bit. This is a moment I will never forget.”

Norris won the season-opening race in Australia, but endured a poor spell which saw him win just once across the next nine races despite his McLaren team boasting the best car on the grid.

He had been as many as 34 points behind in the title race, and looked to be struggling with the demands of fighting for the championship before dominant