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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering 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 combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line 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 then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. 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 experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

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 McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, 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."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "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 McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."