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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris secured the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

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

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just did it my style – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘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 due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a 104‑point deficit. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

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

Yet, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."