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

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. 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 I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win 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 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 respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

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

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as 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 got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

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

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front 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 an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."