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

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win 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 title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became 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,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my potential."

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 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "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 season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."