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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

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

Norris secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," 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."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, working with more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, 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 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 Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him critical points.

"People overlook 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 Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Obviously I would have wished for a 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 little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."