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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 world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

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

Norris wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like 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 aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – 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 nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a 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 championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good 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.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "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 extremely pleased."