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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."