🔗 Share this article

The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he clinched his first-ever Formula One drivers' title, stressing after emotional celebrations with his McLaren squad and family that he was happy to have triumphed "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 not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an approach is unnecessary.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his rival from Red Bull by a narrow margin. The Dutch driver won the race but could not erase the 12-point advantage the McLaren driver held going into the final round.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," Norris said. "I feel like I have just been able to secure it the way I aimed to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

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

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he recalled. "Seeing the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the title involved a remarkable recovery from being far adrift of his teammate in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a key turning point.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to raise my game,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

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 given their all against a papaya car that was the superior package.

"Yes, absolutely, I have zero 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 responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a time punishment lost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other stuff that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks given to me."

The Runner-Up's Reflection

A clearly disappointed Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the campaign, admitted he would emerge stronger the defeat.

"Obviously I would have wished for a different ending," he stated. "But I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself behind the wheel and as a person... Ultimately there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."