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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, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," 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."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments 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 when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

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

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot 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."