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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," 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, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, 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 driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical 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 come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

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