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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted 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 champions 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."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a little 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 championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all 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 excelled in it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally 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 as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."