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

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," 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."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed 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 memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment 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 early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly 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 very proud."