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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," 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, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, 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 felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘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, working with more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "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."