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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver 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," 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."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

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

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."