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

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just managed to win 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 title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – 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 said. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory 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 DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion focused on the good from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "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

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount 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."