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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver 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 managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

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

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick 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 ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated 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 penalty lost him valuable points.

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

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot 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."