After a storm cut down the hopes of Lando Norris and McLaren potentially claiming pole position for the feature race in Sao Paulo, the British driver came back with a strong statement in the Sprint Shootout. Qualifying in pole, the chance was there for Norris to try and register his first win in his F1 career. However, Max Verstappen had other plans, as he easily overtook the McLaren driver on the first corner of Lap 1 as the race began.
“Well done, I guess!”
Needless to say, Lando Norris did not realise just how well his sprint shootout had gone in Sao Paulo 🤣 pic.twitter.com/QfJ8Jgpo7s
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Having not been able to capitalize on a golden opportunity, a crestfallen Norris stood in front of the Sky Sports Camera (clip uploaded on X by ‘Lando Norris Fans’) as he tried to put on a brave face while displaying his disappointment with his performance.
“I always think of what could’ve been or what can it be, you know. And forget sometimes to look at where we were in the beginning of the year.”
Despite grieving over what could’ve been, Norris was not lost on all his team has accomplished this season. Having started the season as arguably the slowest team on the grid, Norris pointed out they have now started competing with Max Verstappen, who is currently driving one of the most dominant cars in the history of F1. While he undergoes a tough phase before the feature race in Sao Paulo, it won’t be the first time Norris faces mental pressure during an F1 season.
Lando Norris overcame various mental challenges to be where he is
Back in his first two years as an F1 driver, the McLaren driver had to undergo immense mental pressure with the eyes of the entire world on him. Having made his debut as a 19-year-old, the British driver faced severe criticism while driving a car, not many drivers would want to drive. He has since been extremely self-critical of all his performances.
“Mentally, I did struggle a lot… the best thing is to talk”
McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris talks to #BBCBreakfast about mental health and gaming with those feeling isolated.
The team have also been producing ventilators for the NHS during the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/GLSLhKZU1X
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) February 20, 2021
An example of the same came in Qatar when Norris lost out on a chance to secure a pole position on two separate occasions. Speaking about the incident, Norris credited a “lack of talent” for his miss. Despite consistently showing impressive driving skills, the Briton has always been self-critical and beats himself up over the smallest of mistakes.
Having taken note of this, Nico Rosberg reached out to the ‘senior’ McLaren driver over his self-doubt. The former world champion said that it was a worrying sign to see Norris always thinking he’s not good enough. Rosberg revealed he would write to Norris since he spent almost a decade working with a psychologist while driving in F1. He added that he wanted to tell Norris to stop saying he wasn’t good enough because, after a point, the Briton might start believing it, and it could lead to his career-ending long before it should. Rosberg concluded by claiming his time with a mental health coach played an important role in him becoming a world champion, and it was something Norris could look into as well.
