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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"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."

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

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. 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 due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed 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. "The performance has been strong. 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 lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount 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."