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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 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 last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – 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 felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "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 extremely pleased."