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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

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

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

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"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

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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 wanted a different ending," he stated. "However 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."