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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe 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 content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with 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 time punishment cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... 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.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly 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."