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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, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy 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 faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe 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 assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as 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 because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget 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."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "But 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."