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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up 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 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

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

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort 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 raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

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 done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount 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."