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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship 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 lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "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, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – 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 nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole 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 various fields to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

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

"Yeah, I think so, 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 excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "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 extremely pleased."