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lando norris After becoming Formula One World Champion for the first time, he said that this season he performed at a level that his rivals could not match.
Norris celebrates becoming only the 11th driver Britain To win the F1 title at a glittering party at the W Hotel, situated on top of the Yas Marina Circuit, where just hours earlier he had realized his childhood dream.
Videos have already surfaced of the 26-year-old celebrating his success by singing Queen’s ‘We Are the Champions’ and Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’.
Norris was 34 points off the championship pace, but fought back to end Max Verstappen’s run of four consecutive world titles.
Verstappen’s victory in the season finale was his eighth win of the year – one more than Norris – and his sixth in the last nine races, and he finished just two points behind him. mclaren rival.
“I hate ever trying to compare myself to other people,” Norris said.
“But I definitely feel in moments like that I’ve driven better than other guys. And I feel like I’ve driven at a level I don’t think other guys can match.
“Did I make mistakes too? Yes. Are there things that Max can do better than me sometimes? Yes. But do I believe he is unbeatable? No.
“The second half of the season was unbelievable for him. He took advantage of the fact that as a team we had both oscar (Piastri) and I are fighting for the world championship. He really made the most of it and drove like he was a four-time world champion. I am very happy that I got a chance to prove myself against him.
“Whether I’m better than them or not, it doesn’t matter. I’m not interested in that. I did what I had to do to win the world championship. I made my people happy and that’s all I really care about.”
Norris, who is due to return to his title-winning McLaren cockpit for Pirelli tire testing in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, also apologized to Lewis hamilton,
Norris faced criticism last year for saying that Hamilton’s record-equalling seven titles were partly due to his all-conquering Mercedes.
In an awkward conversation in the cool-down room after last season’s Hungarian Grand Prix, Norris told Hamilton: “You had a fast car seven years ago… you made the most of it and now it’s us.”
Hamilton replied: “I wasn’t complaining. I was just praising your car.”
And Norris continued: “I know I say some stupid things that I regret and I wish I could take it back and these things never came out of my mouth.
“I honestly believe I respect him more than anyone else. I respect Oscar more. I respect Max more.”
“I try to respect Lewis as much as I can. He’s a seven-time world champion. He’s the best driver ever in Formula One. I’m not even close to him, and I never will be.”