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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment 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 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 experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."