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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like 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 aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm 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

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero 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.

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

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"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... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."