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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, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like 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 assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields 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 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable 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."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

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