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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, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as aggressive 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."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a little 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 stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri 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 due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

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

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks 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 defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."