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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing 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, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into 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 wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

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

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

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

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Naturally 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... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."