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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful 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

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"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 never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace 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 asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff 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 Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

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