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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not 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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole 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, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

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

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title 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 McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."