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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 emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead Norris held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "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 aggressive as Max or as forceful 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."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

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

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as 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,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

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

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "However 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."