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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, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased 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 faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship proves 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 Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into 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."

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 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 incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero 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."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from 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... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."