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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into 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 aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners 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 final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily 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 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

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