Lewis Hamilton said he was “really proud” that Lando Norris followed in his footsteps and became F1 world champion.
Norris finished third in Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, clinching his first drivers’ championship and becoming the first Briton to win the title since Hamilton’s 2020 victory.
“I’m really, really happy for him,” the seven-time world champion told Sky Sports F1.
“Winning your first World Championship is really special. Britain continues to produce great drivers.
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Lando Norris celebrates becoming world champion with tears, donuts and hugs!
“I know how it feels to go into this race and fight for your first championship, but it’s nerve-wracking.
“I’m really proud of him.”
McLaren’s Norris went into the final round of the season with a 12-point lead over Hamilton’s former title rival Max Verstappen, but team-mate Oscar Piastri still has a chance by four points.
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An emotional Lando Norris looks back on his career leading up to his world title win in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton said on Thursday he was not concerned about who won as he was focused on himself and the Ferrari team and had no advice for Norris.
However, the 40-year-old revealed after Sunday’s race that he had spoken to Norris ahead of the most important race of his career.
“I just told him before the weekend that what he’s been doing is working and he doesn’t need to change anything, and I think that’s what he did,” Hamilton said.
Norris reveals regrets from Hamilton’s cool-down room
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Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton had a frosty exchange after the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix.
In the aftermath of his victory, Norris expressed regret for Hamilton’s comments towards his compatriot after last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix and paid tribute to him.
After Norris finished second behind Piastri in the 2024 Hungaroring race, Hamilton, who had taken third place from Mercedes, commented on McLaren’s pace in the cool-down room.
Norris seemed to take Hamilton’s comments about his car’s speed negatively, telling the former champion that he “had a fast car seven years ago” and “we’ve been making the most of it, and now it’s us.”
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Team McLaren celebrated Lando Norris’ world title win by spraying champagne in the paddock.
When answering a question about his approach to the competition, Norris digressed and mentioned the Hungarian exchange.
He said: “I know I say stupid things sometimes, and I’ve said things about Max, and I might have said things about Lewis in the past that everyone’s been talking about. There are things I regret and things I didn’t say because I wanted to take them back.”
“But to be honest, I believe I respect others more than anyone else. I have more respect for Oscar, I have more respect for Max. I try to respect Lewis as much as possible – he’s a seven-time world champion. He’s the best driver – if you compare him to (Michael) Schumacher – the best driver in the history of F1.”
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Lando Norris praised teammate Oscar Piastri, saying, “I couldn’t be the driver I am today without him.”
“I’m not even close to it. I may never be. I dream of things like that. I dreamed of today, and I managed to achieve one out of seven compared to him.”
“And do you regret some of the comments you might have made in the cool-down room or something? Yes. But a lot of them are in the heat of the moment. And by the time I’m done saying it, I’m like, ‘Why on earth did I say that now?'”
“So I try to be as honest as possible. I always try to tell the truth.”
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