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

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind 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 ability."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with 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 Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But 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 extremely pleased."