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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"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 not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive 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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car 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 loved it at times."

However, the driver 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," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."