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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach 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 mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally 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 off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."