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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted 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 memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

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

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."