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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome 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 been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory 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 August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. 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 due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible 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 impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

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

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger 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 behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."