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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure 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 forceful as other title-winners 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, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

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

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."