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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, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "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 combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team'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 zero 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."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical 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 was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from 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 very proud."