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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

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

"People overlook all the other stuff 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

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."