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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored 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". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver 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, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment 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 early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."