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

The champion highlighted 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 securing the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up 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 overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe 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 combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. 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, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

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

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no 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 driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount 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."