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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win 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 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 honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

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

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."