F1 2025: Lando Norris told to DITCH social media as distractions threaten title bid

Lando Norris, McLaren, Saudi Arabia, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Lando Norris told to DITCH social media as distractions threaten F1 title bid

The Brit has endured a disappointing start to the year

Kevin McKenna

Thursday 24 April 2025 20:52

Lando Norris has been warned that social media may be having a negative impact on his bid to become Formula 1 world champion.

The McLaren star came into 2025 as favourite to take the drivers' title, having finished runner-up to champion Max Verstappen last time out.

But it has been a largely frustrating start to the year so far for the Brit, with his victory at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix his only triumph with five races now in the books.

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Norris has seen his popularity with fans grow since breaking through at McLaren in 2019, and has gathered an army of followers across his social media platforms.

However, F1 journalist and former Ferrari general manager Peter Windsor believes that he should be directing all of his attention towards on-track matters.

Norris urged to focus on improving results

Speaking on the Cameron Cc: YouTube channel, the 73-year-old-said: "I don't think Lando's worried about how he looks and what people think about him.

"What I do think is that social media is such an integral part of his life because he's grown up with it.

"And when he's in a social media mode, he adopts the persona of whoever that social media Lando Norris is, and it's that. It's not preening himself, he's something else other than just a racing driver.

"That's why I keep saying he should get rid of social media for a while because he needs to just be an earthy, gut-fuelled racing driver.

"So it's not that he's in any way self-centred, I just think he's got that whole social media thing is an image that is out there, that is a Lando Norris version, and he needs to get rid of that, because it's like a ghost that's constantly there."

Norris' frustration has been compounded by the fact that he has been forced to watch his team-mate Oscar Piastri surge to the top of the leaderboard following his third win of the season in Saudi Arabia last weekend.

The Australian has opened up a 10-point advantage over his colleague - who went from 10th to fourth in Jeddah - with Verstappen currently behind the McLaren duo heading into next week's Miami GP.

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Max Verstappen McLaren Lando Norris Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix Peter Windsor