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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," 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 title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see 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 stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole 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, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical 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 early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted 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 as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."