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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," 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 aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble 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

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. 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 seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

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.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

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

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."