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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen 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 I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick 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 different areas to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car 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 hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

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