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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the title proves 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 Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. 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 makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed 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."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey 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 pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" 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

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster 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."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted 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 behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."