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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 triumphed "his way".

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "killer instinct". He maintains that securing the title proves such an approach is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title 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 took the checkered flag but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held entering the final round.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful 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."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "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 mechanical failure in Zandvoort 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 step it up,’" he revealed. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior 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 excelled in it at times."

Yet, the Dutchman reacted testily when questioned about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a penalty 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 given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wanted a slightly different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."