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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 happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title 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 narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "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 stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost 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 lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted 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... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."