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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line 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 August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

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 often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a 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."