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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became 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 step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "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 questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical 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 lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."