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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 emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris 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 won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris 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 wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

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

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

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

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."