🔗 Share this article

The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver 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 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 in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

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

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment cost 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 early Christmas presents given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"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 as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."