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

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," 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."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded 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. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback 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 step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... 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 emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."