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

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase 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 believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

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

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole 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, bringing in 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 fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot 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."