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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win 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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical points.

"You forget 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 had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the experience.

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