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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "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."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

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

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good 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 often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for 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... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."