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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner 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 succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris secured 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 overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions 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 closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

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

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."