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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism 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, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot 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."