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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "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 championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘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 different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

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

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."