The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, emphasizing 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 believes he competed fairly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for lacking the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.
The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating his rival from Red Bull by a mere two points. The Dutch driver won the race but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held entering 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 not by being someone I’m not."
Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as assertive as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m happy. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."
The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.
"I was composed until the very end, then I began to tremble a little bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll always remember."
The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.
"I was like: ‘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 because of external factors, bringing in more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."
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 often the faster package.
"Yeah, I think so, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace has been impressive. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also excelled in it at times."
Yet, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Spanish GP where a time punishment lost him critical points.
"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."
The visibly dejected McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.
"Obviously I would have wished for a slightly different ending," Piastri said. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and off the track... Ultimately there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."
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