Lando Norris Reveals Satisfaction in Securing Maiden F1 Title On His Own Terms.

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place 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 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win 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 content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"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 moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind 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, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

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

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."