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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored 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". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, 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 never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind 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 different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

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

However, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "However 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 extremely pleased."