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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old 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 the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."