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

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I felt calm 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 always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. 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 because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

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

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost 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 early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."