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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the final round.

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

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

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

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook 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."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a 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."