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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted 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 "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a third-place 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 the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming 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 happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole 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

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back 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 no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount 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."