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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 happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like 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 combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

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

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "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 asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook 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.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."