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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

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

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe 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 champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see 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 remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast 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 potential."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "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 asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical points.

"You forget 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 come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."