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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, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place 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 overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners 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 honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."