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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, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship proves 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 Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "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, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. 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 felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"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,’" 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."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. 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 impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events 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."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally 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... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."