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

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure 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 content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

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

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

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

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."