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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe 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 forceful as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"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 due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt 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," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost 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

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But 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 extremely pleased."