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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed 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 Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."