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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing 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 cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe 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 aggressive as Max or as forceful 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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives 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.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty 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 early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "However 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 very proud."