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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the title 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 Norris held going into the final round.

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

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag 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 August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘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 due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "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, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."