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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen 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 I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

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

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, 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

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with 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 time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."