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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying 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, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory 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 the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. 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 fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, 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 loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for 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."