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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead 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 managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive 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

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, 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 loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him valuable 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 lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot 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 very proud."