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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became 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 raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

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

"People overlook 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."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."