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

Norris underscored that he believes he competed cleanly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". Norris argues that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the title with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was without becoming someone I’m not."

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "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 championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A DNF in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I thought: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick 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 fully realize my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a McLaren that was often the faster package.

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

However, the driver responded tersely when questioned about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him critical points.

"You forget all the other events 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

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who had led for much of the season, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."