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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, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," 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."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, 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 remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

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 often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. 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 controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."