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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place 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 the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing 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 his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible 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 strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."