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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, 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 excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win 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 assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

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 thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. 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 impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race 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."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."