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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 a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect 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, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, 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, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"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 got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver 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," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly 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 extremely pleased."