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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured 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 Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest 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 began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in 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 season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster 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 driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"People overlook 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 given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."