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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 world championship, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title proves such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe 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 forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, 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 after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of 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 team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no 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."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title 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 learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However 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 little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."