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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage 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 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 champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Seeing 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 remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"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 had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "However 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."