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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap 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 being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held entering 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 without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, 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 loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."