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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 drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into 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 aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "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 did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost 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 early Christmas presents 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 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 as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."