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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

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

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful 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 respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

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

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "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 very proud."