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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced 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.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage 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 managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, 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, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast 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 ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. 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. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously 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 little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."