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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title 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 overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole 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, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."