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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Choosing not to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, 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 after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost him valuable 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 early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."