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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing 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 mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment 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 the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of 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. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from 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 behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."