'Give him a hug': Champ Norris feels 'bad' for Piastri

Fresh off claiming his first world championship, Lando Norris said he wants to give Oscar Piastri "a hug" and confirmed he will drive with the No.1 on his McLaren in 2026.

Piastri came second in Abu Dhabi, which saw him finish 13 points behind Norris overall.

The Australian had led the standings by 34 points after the Dutch GP, the largest gap between the McLaren drivers all season.

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Yet a combination of factors saw that lead slip away, with Norris now the world champion.

"It's one of those things – you don't really know what to do!" Norris told the F1 Show. "I feel bad, I want to give him a hug. I want to acknowledge, I want to give him the respect he deserves. I'm sure everyone does, on the outside.

"It's always quite a difficult position to be in. I know what he's achieved this year, and how hard it's been on both sides.

"I just know there are going to be plenty more times, where we're going to have more of these battles, he comes out on top some of the time, I try and come out on top some of the time.

"Yeah, I've enjoyed it, I think and I hope he has enjoyed a lot of it. I was pretty disappointed last year that I finished second. We all want to win."

Norris, 26, typically races with the No. 4 on the nose of his car. But the new world champ gladly will accept the honor of donning the No. 1 next season.

Norris, 26, typically races with the No.4 on the nose of his car. But the Briton gladly will accept the honor of donning the No.1 next season.

"It's tradition, it's there for a reason," Norris told Sky Sports News. "It's there because you can go and try grab it and you can work hard to try and get it.

Having the defending champion race with the No. 1 on their car was mandatory until 2014 when drivers had the option of keeping their previous number. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has been the only driver to decline the option during that time, choosing to stick with his No. 44.

"All of us as a team that gets to have a role in McLaren, or my car, will get to wear that with pride," Norris said. "It's all my mechanics, my engineers, everyone that's part of McLaren gets to have that acknowledgment too.

"So, it's not for me, it's for them as well. It's their pride, knowing that they put a lot of work and effort into everything that they can also go, 'We're No. 1'.

"It's not as cool when you say, 'We are No. 4.' So they will be even happier than I am!"

Speaking to reporters in his hotel room a day after the most momentous event of his life, Norris related how memories and sensations, and thoughts of family and friends, had played out like "the montage of my life" in his head.

The last two laps before crossing the line in third place, all he needed to secure the title, were the best memory of all.

"I really want to get someone to do a painting of me. I need to find an artist but from my view," he said.

"My eyes, coming around, with the visor and the bumps and everything, seeing all the papayas (McLaren colours) and just seeing the chequered flag, and that moment of coming around the last corner, lifting off and then I can have both my gloves here (in front of his face) because I started to cry...

"I want to save that moment. Because that was really the 'it' moment."

Norris, who won in Monaco this year, recalled childhood karting and video games with his father Adam. He imagined his mother, Cisca, watching in the garage and the tears welled up.

He revealed that before the weekend he had looked up videos of how other champions - compatriot Lewis Hamilton who has been there seven times and Sebastian Vettel a four-times winner of the prized trophy - had celebrated their successes.

In the end he did it his way, without copying anything.

"I'm happy I didn't in the end because what played out was just what I felt - spontaneous, more just all in the moment. And that made it extra special."

- with Reuters