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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 a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like 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 aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort 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 step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero 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."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

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