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

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead Norris held entering the final round.

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

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions 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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. 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 because of external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all 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 impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

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

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

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."