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

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like 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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, 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 always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

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 the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... 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, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously 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 off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."