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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 world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced fairly 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 title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship 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 lead Norris held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I believe I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been in the past, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "The performance has been strong. 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 Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."