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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris 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 forceful as other champions might have been historically, 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 closing moments were incredibly tense.

"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 moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"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 professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero 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 Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot 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."