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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris 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."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

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 became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him critical 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 come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount 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."