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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 a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 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 entering the final round.

"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 aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive 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 fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, 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 always remember."

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 no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed 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 strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

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

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But 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 very proud."