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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners 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."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. 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 seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, 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."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment 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 a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, 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 a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."