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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing 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 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 proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up 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 won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners 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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero 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 driver reacted testily 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," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."