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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," 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."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful 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 honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

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

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car 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 hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable points.

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

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted 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 a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."