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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners 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."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"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 got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero 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."

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."