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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming 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 content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

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

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt 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 impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"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... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."