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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing 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 faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

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

He elaborated, "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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, 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

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

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 done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff 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 Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."