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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, emphasizing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was pleased to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," 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, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike 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 felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's season, having fought back from a 104‑point deficit. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, 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 excelled in it at times."

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "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."