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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing 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 believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed 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 title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, 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.

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

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

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

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."