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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

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

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole 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 professionals in various fields to fully realize 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. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... 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 campaign, reflected he would emerge stronger 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 off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."