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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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 recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. 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 because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

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

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title 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 had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted 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."