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The British racing driver stated he is deeply satisfied of the manner in which he clinched his inaugural Formula One world championship, stressing after a heartfelt victory lap with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced cleanly and without being overly forceful, a philosophy for which he has been scrutinized for not displaying the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that winning the title proves 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 erase the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

"That's one of the things that makes me most proud," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

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

Nerve-Wracking Finale

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a memory that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

The driver's journey to the title involved a stunning comeback from being 34 points behind of his teammate in the summer. A mechanical failure in Zandvoort served as a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m in a deep hole against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more experts in different areas to unlock more of my ability."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his team's season, having fought back from a massive points gap. He believed they had given their all against a papaya car that was often the faster package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero regrets about my season," he said. "Our pace 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 cost him valuable points.

"You forget all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "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 McLaren teammate, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wanted 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 touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."