Is Lando Norris an F1 champion in the making?

Norris at the launch of the McLaren MCL35M — Photo: © LAT Images

Lando Norris - long read

Is Lando Norris an F1 champion in the making?

The McLaren driver has grown on and off the track

Ian Parkes

Monday 24 May 2021 17:30

While Norris' confidence continues to grow with each race, each season, when you chat with him you still feel there is a degree of vulnerability to his character. That is not in any way being detrimental, it is just an observation.

It has to be born in mind that Norris has openly - and bravely - spoken about his struggles with mental health, for which he has to be applauded and deserves the utmost respect.

Article continues under video

He readily concedes he is the first to put himself down when qualifying or a race does not go his way. He is perhaps being too critical of himself you feel, but then how many of us have experienced the pressure he finds himself under on any given Saturday or Sunday?

So when I ask him whether he feels he could one day be an F1 champion with the right car beneath him, there is an obvious pause before he eventually replies: "Big question." And I concede it is.

It is at this point he reveals his thought processes and a touch of the self-doubt he is continuing to work hard on, underlining it is not just the inside of the car where he is doing so, but also fervently outside of it.

"It’s very difficult to know until you’re there and I’m not so much a guy who thinks that far ahead into the future," said Norris.

"I haven’t always been the most complimentary guy to myself, giving myself the respect I feel I should get sometimes. I always put myself down a lot and am harsh on myself.

"But I think that sometimes I feel I should be the opposite and give myself confidence. I think with how I feel like I have done so far this season, I feel like if we were in a car or if I was in a car that was capable of winning races, I feel like I could.

“Whether it’s in the wet conditions, the dry conditions, I feel like I am driving at the moment in a very good manner. I feel like I am on top of my game and am doing a lot of things right and am doing myself proud in a lot of ways with what I am doing.

“So I want to say yes but it doesn’t mean I’m just better than every driver on the grid or anything like that. I’m not saying that, I just feel like with how I have done this season I am driving at a level that is capable of winning races and maybe one day a world championship.

“Maybe I’m not at the all-out level, but I feel like I am doing a lot of things right and with some small improvements I can maybe be a bit more confident in my answer.

"I think I’m at a level where I would say I could go up against Lewis or Max and - I’ve got to be careful how I say - not like I could 100 per cent beat them but I could give them a run for their money, I could bring it to them and I could give it a good effort.

“That’s as much as I will say.”

For now, that self-assurance from within Norris is all we need to hear.

He is undoubtedly treading the right paths that will hopefully lead to the wins and, who knows, maybe he will one day answer the 'big question' and land that title to which he aspires.