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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole 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 professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."