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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

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

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

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

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. 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, working with more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, 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 questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... 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 season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."