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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever 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 feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, 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 mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen 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 I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. 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, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in 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 and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back 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 no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

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

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "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

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front 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 an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."