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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive 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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly 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... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."