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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "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 combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became 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 had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

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

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

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "However 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."