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

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory 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 then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."