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

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘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 experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

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

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."