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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris 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 managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative 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 honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."