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

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a P3 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 erase the lead the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, 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 always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

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 given their all 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 excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."