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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."