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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title 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 overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners 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

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible 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 impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

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

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

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