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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he believes he competed fairly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old wrapped up the championship with a P3 finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the lead the McLaren driver held entering the last race.

"This is an aspect that makes me most proud," he commented. "I believe I have just been able to secure it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Choosing not to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been in the past, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a fair driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a little bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line is a memory that I’ll never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being far adrift of his teammate in August. A mechanical failure in the Dutch Grand Prix served as a major catalyst.

"I thought: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in various fields to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

The reigning champion took only positives from his and Red Bull’s performances, having fought back from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had done everything possible against a McLaren that was the superior package.

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

However, the driver reacted testily when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a penalty lost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who had led for much of the season, 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 an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and as a person... In the end there’s a little bit of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."