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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

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

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with 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 Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship 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 Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."