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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, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "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 title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded 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 title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. 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 due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

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