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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 pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being 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 happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

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

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"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 because of external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget 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 come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wanted a 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... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."