Lando Norris Expresses Pride in Securing First F1 Title His Way.

The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held entering the final round.

"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 wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory 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, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero 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 reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title 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 campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."