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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering 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 champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "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 season, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."