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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, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe 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 aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing 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 August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as 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, working with more professionals in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

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

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However 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 very proud."