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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an mentality 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. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners 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 honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed 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 impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot 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."