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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".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not 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 respectful driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

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

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be 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 and Red Bull’s season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

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