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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, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect 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, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, 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 events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."