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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "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 aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior 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 driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty 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

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."