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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 happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 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 the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted 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 fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing 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 stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, 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 loved it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical points.

"You forget 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

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."