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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "in his own style".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a third-place finish at the season finale, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen won the race but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," Norris said. "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, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

Nerve-Wracking Finale

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I began to tremble a bit," he said. "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 title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘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 because of external factors, working with more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the driver reacted testily when questioned about a controversial incident at the Barcelona race where a penalty cost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, reflected he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a slightly different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a driver and off the track... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."