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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, 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 believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "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 did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable 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."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."