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

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick 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."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster 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 responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly 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 very proud."