Lando Norris has spoken frankly about the F1 season, which begins this month.
Lando Norris has emerged as a legitimate candidate to dethrone Max Verstappen as F1 world champion amid McLaren’s remarkable ascent to the top of the grid this season. However, the 24-year-old sensation confesses that he still suffers from a lack of confidence, which is evident in his public displays of self-criticism.
Norris won his maiden Formula One race in May, capturing the chequered flag at the Miami Grand Prix. Since then, he has scored five podium finishes to help McLaren launch a Constructors’ Championship push.
Oscar Piastri has also impressed, winning his first professional race at the Hungarian Grand Prix in the last event before the summer break. McLaren now trails Red Bull by just 42 points heading into the season’s last ten races, which begin with the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25.
His 78-point deficit behind Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship is the more difficult challenge.
Despite Sergio Perez and Red Bull’s recent troubles, the Dutchman continues to score points, putting him in pole position for a fourth consecutive title.
However, Mercedes’ return to the front of the grid, alongside Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari, has raised the possibility of Verstappen losing additional points.
Despite his great performance in 2024, Norris has opened up about his lack of self-belief, stating that he struggles to convince himself that he belongs in Formula One.
“I never believed I’d make it to Formula One,” Norris told RacingNews365.
“All of the world’s superstars say, ‘You have to have so much confidence in yourself to accomplish this,’ but to be honest, I don’t believe you have to. I’ve never had that.
“I’ve only won one race, but I still compete in Formula One. I believe it is primarily due to the labor done behind the scenes. I’ve worked hard to get here, yet I still don’t believe I’m here.”
While the British driver acknowledges that there may be better approaches, he maintains that he is working hard to maximize his talent.
He went on to say, “I believe it’s simply vital to discover yourself, to understand what works best for you, and to maximize that. I believe that is what I am doing, but I am still looking for it.
“And maybe it’s good to strike a better balance occasionally [in how hard he is on himself], because I don’t want that to have a long-term impact. And I think that will always be me.”
Leave a Reply