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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions 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."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"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 moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back 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," he said. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

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

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title 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 Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from 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 as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."