Lando Norris has detailed how he celebrated his first Formula 1 drivers' championship victory in Abu Dhabi.
The McLaren driver finished the season-ending race at the Yas Marina Circuit in third behind race winner Max Verstappen and Norris's team-mate Oscar Piastri, which was enough to seal the deal. After extended track celebrations, the Briton made his way out for a very late night and early morning.
"I celebrated with my team, everyone, as many people as I could," Norris told BBC Sport. "We had a little team get-together. So just McLaren, friends, family near the hotel. Just a few drinks for them, and then extended and levelled up the celebrations after that.
"But I celebrated a lot because this is it. It's not like, OK, another step to go or one more year to get to this. What we achieved yesterday was it, that was the final piece of the whole thing.
"I still find it very surreal when someone says 'Congrats world champ' or something. It's definitely got a very different ring to it than when it's just 'Congrats Lando' or whatever it may be. I don't know, because I think it's still such a sizeable achievement."
Norris became the 35th driver in history to claim a championship title and the 11th British driver to do so. He joins the likes of fellow Britons Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Sir Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Sir Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.
"35th driver, I think, to do it. 35th in the world, and I got to be one of them," he added. "11 Brits. Brits are doing well. The Brits have always done well in Formula 1. So, I'm very proud also that I'm still racing against [world champions] on the grid now. A good amount of them actually, and of course for the Brits, for my name to be alongside them is pretty incredible."
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