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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 triumphed "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 lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," 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."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

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

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, 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 excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."