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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team 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 strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"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 got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, 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. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff 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 season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."