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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old 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. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "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."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners 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."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"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 got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "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

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

"Obviously 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 as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."