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Lando Norris has declared he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win 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 forceful as other champions 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, 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 after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title 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, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."