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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality 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 mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying 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 respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing 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 stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. 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. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."