The McLaren driver Reveals Satisfaction in Securing Maiden F1 Title On His Own Terms.

Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"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 not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive 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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. 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 contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title 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 Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."