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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead Norris held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks 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 defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But 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."