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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured the title 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 12-point advantage Norris held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," 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, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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 little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, 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 loved it at times."

However, 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 a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."