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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, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead 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 managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not 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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"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 got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt 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," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment 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."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."