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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, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

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". He maintains that winning the championship proves such an approach is not essential.

The 26-year-old secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," 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 assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "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 remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as 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 due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, 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."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook 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 come my way."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

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

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."