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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, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". Norris argues that securing the championship proves such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "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 title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a major catalyst.

"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,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him critical points.

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

The Runner-Up's Reflection

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."