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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "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 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris 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 without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

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

"I was like: ‘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 because of external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

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

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."