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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing 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 philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 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 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like 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 champions might have been in the past, I’m content. 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, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "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 had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."