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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 drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains 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 overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like 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 aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be 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. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship 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 was in front for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."