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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "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, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions 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 honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

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

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix 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 got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff 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 Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly 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... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."