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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 a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

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

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure 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 step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

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.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However 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 very proud."