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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever 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 lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship 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 the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery 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 thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

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

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."