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

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."