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Lando Norris has declared he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing 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 cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

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

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘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 due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

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

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

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