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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"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 wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. 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,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

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

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... 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, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."