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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things 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 assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

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

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title 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 pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no 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 driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."