Lando Norris Expresses Pride in Securing First F1 Title On His Own Terms.

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

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 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 lead the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole 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, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

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

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."