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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

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