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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris 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 aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, 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 excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."