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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, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, 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 not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast 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 ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "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

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

"Naturally I would have wanted 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... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."