Lando Norris opens up on title mentality with ‘driving better than ever’ verdict made

Lando Norris insists he’s taking the F1 2024 title fight one race at a time rather than be “stupid” by tripping himself with the “bigger picture”.

Off the pace of Red Bull in the opening rounds of the championship, McLaren’s Miami Grand Prix upgrade vaulted the team into race-winning contention with the team stringing together a 14-race podium streak.

Lando Norris: It’s just stupid to think like that

Eating into Red Bull’s advantage in the standings as both Norris and Oscar Piastri won races, McLaren took control of the Constructors’ Championship in Azerbaijan and extended the lead to 41 points at the next race in Singapore.

But as they have been making big gains in the teams’ standings, Norris has also slowly been nibbling into Verstappen’s lead in the Drivers’, bringing that down to 52 points having taken 26 back in the last four races alone.

Time though, is not on his side as only six races remain with a total of 180 points in play.

Such is Verstappen’s advantage, he only needs to finish runner-up in the Grands Prix and Sprints to win the title by a point even if Norris wins every one of the remaining events.

But that’s the bigger picture, that one that Norris is not thinking about.

“For me, the less I can think about it the better,” he said in an interview with The Athletic . “It’s hard when every question is basically just about that, you know?

“For me, it’s not trying to think of the bigger picture in a way. By doing that, and just focusing on one race at a time, or what I have to do tomorrow, then Saturday, then Sunday, I’m not thinking, ‘I need a good weekend this weekend, so I can do this next weekend.’

“It’s just stupid to think like that, I think.”

F1 2024: Max Verstappen v Lando Norris for the World title

👉 The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings after the Singapore Grand Prix

👉 The ultimate F1 2024 title calculator: How Lando Norris could beat Max Verstappen

Although the 24-year-old is determined to avoid the title pressure, he admits there is still a smidge more on his shoulders as there’s more at stake.

“I don’t feel like I’m going out now like, ‘Oh God, I have to do this because I’m fighting for a championship.’” he added. “I’m not thinking of it like that at all, honestly.

“It’s more just putting that little bit more pressure on making the right decisions at times, knowing that certain decisions maybe have a bit more meaning or can have a bigger meaning.”

Contesting his sixth season in Formula 1, the three-time Grand Prix winner believes he has improved as a driver but that there’s more to work on.

“I’m definitely driving better now than I ever have,” he said. “You’re always adding to that side of it.

“But you’re getting to a point where more is done for the mental side and how you approach things, than actually driving the car two-hundredths quicker.”

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