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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, 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 fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "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 won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

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

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted 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... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."