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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored 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 "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win 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 historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

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

An Incredible Turnaround

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

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff 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 season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."