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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 emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "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 lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," 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."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. 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 closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘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 because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt 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 strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical 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 lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."