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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored 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 securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "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 fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

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

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."