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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner 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 pleased to have succeeded "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 much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

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

Norris added, "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 won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole 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, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

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

Yet, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, 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. "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 very proud."