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

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. 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 had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback 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 zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."