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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions 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

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace 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 Spanish GP where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

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