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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe 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 combative as Max or as forceful 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 respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments 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 moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for 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... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."