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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team 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 lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike 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 after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"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, working with more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero 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 Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title 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 McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But 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 extremely pleased."