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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, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "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 not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed 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 in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

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

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in different areas to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car 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."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title 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 campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a 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."