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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

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

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift 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 step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback 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 no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."