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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy 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 faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver 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 been able to secure 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 forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. 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, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible 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 strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."