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

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – 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 incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title 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 in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

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

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost 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 lucky breaks come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."