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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 McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"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 moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick 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 potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's performances, 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 no 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."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost 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, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."