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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One world championship, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was pleased to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without excessive aggression, a strategy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the often-praised "ruthless edge". He maintains that securing the title demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

Norris secured the title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. Verstappen took the checkered flag but could not erase the lead Norris held entering the last race.

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

He elaborated, "Not trying to be as combative as Max or as forceful as other champions might have been historically, I’m content. I just did it my style – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were nerve-jangling.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, 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 never forget."

A Remarkable Comeback

The driver's journey to the championship involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in August. A DNF in Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"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 had to become more myself due to external factors, working with more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Competitors' Responses

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, 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."

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

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "A championship is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

A clearly disappointed McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the experience.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "However I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot 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."