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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations 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 been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen 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 I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted 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 won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible 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 loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"People overlook 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 given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."