🔗 Share this article

The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the manner in which he won his inaugural Formula One world championship, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have triumphed "in his own style".

The champion highlighted that he feels he raced fairly and without being overly forceful, a strategy for which he has faced criticism for lacking the much-discussed "killer instinct". Norris argues that securing the title proves such an mentality is not essential.

Norris wrapped up the championship with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the 12-point advantage Norris held going into the last race.

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

Norris added, "Not trying to be as combative 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 sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an honest driver."

A Tense Conclusion

The champion admitted that, despite appearances, the closing moments were incredibly tense.

"I felt calm until the very end, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Seeing the team when I crossed the line 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 Zandvoort became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh, shoot. I’m in a deep hole against a seriously quick driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I had to become more myself due to external factors, bringing in more professionals in various fields to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

Max Verstappen: No Regrets

Max Verstappen focused on the good from his and Red Bull’s season, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt 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. "Our pace has been strong. I’ve struggled with this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

However, the Dutchman responded tersely when asked about a contentious moment at the Barcelona race where a penalty lost him critical points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," Verstappen snapped. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of early Christmas presents come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

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

"Obviously I would have wanted a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself behind the wheel and off the track... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be very proud."