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

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative 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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful 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. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became 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 raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in 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 team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

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

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... 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 season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."