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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming 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 fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."