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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying 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 fair 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 the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole 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, working with more professionals in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

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