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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver 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 believe I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, 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 three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

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

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt 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 strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."