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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won 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".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place 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 erase the lead Norris held entering the last race.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. 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, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "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 remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "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 focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."