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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

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

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners 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

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed 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 excelled in it at times."

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

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "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 had led for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However 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 little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."