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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race 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 wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not 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 fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

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

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

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

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally 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 very proud."