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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "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 much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering 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 title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "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 title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"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,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical 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 given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "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."