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

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the final round.

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

Norris added, "Not trying 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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated 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. "The title is won over 24 rounds... 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, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."