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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver 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 without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast 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 ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives 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 often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance 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 Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship 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 had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."