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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "in his own style".

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

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, 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 when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll always remember."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title 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 thought: ‘Oh, shoot. 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, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty cost him valuable points.

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

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."