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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the lead 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 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 champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag 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 his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became 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 step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my potential."

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 the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical 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 early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."