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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an mentality 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 narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "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, "Not trying to be as aggressive 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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been strong. 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 Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship 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 Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."