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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions 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, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment 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 mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."