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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

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 narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, 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 the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

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 the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

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

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for 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 little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."