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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship 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 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as aggressive 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

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable 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."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."