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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "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, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – 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 felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "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 was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."