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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud 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 succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion 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 McLaren that was often the faster package.

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

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."