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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, 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 said. "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 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole 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, bringing in more professionals 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 performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "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 McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "However 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."