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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 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 cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves 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 mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps 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 moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became 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 had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback 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," he said. "Our pace has been strong. 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 Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.

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

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."