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

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect 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."

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 won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

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

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, 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 excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a 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 extremely pleased."