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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the approach in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

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

A Tense Conclusion

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 little bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as 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 step it up,’" he revealed. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

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

"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, reflected he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."