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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, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris 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. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful 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 honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I felt calm 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 never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

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

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment 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 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."