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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly 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 championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect 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."

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 fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

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 McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously 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... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."