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

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured 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 the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," Norris said. "I feel like 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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a little bit," he recalled. "Then I got to see the team when I crossed the line is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. 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, working with more professionals in different areas to fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

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 given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

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

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over a full season... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."