Feb.6 (GMM) Lando Norris says he heads into the brand new season extra relaxed and assured than ever, insisting self-belief – not swagger – has been the most important change after lastly proving to himself that he can win on the high stage.
The McLaren driver, now operating the number one on his automotive after a breakthrough marketing campaign, has lengthy been open about his self-doubt and questions over his psychological toughness. However Norris says that modified the second outcomes started to reach.
“Did I believe I could possibly be on pole for the primary time or win a race?” Norris mentioned. “After I did it, I believed, ‘Ah, I can do it.’ That’s simply how I believed and believed, for no matter motive.”
He admits the previous 12 months marked a significant step ahead psychologically.
“I’ve undoubtedly improved in lots of areas – psychological preparation, psychological state, coping with good and unhealthy instances,” Norris mentioned. “However I’ve to seek out my very own manner. I can’t simply copy what others have achieved prior to now. I want to know what motivates me.”
Norris can be candid about not sharing the identical mindset as serial champions like Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton.
“It’s fairly clear I’ve a unique mentality and a unique method than Max,” Norris mentioned on the McLaren Know-how Centre. “Whether or not that’s good or unhealthy, you’ll be able to choose for your self. There are numerous issues I like about him, and I want I had a bit extra of them right here and there.
“If you’re competing in opposition to these guys, it’s important to be nearly good.”
Requested whether or not a single world title would fulfill him, Norris rejected the concept his ambition stops there.
“I’m not Max or Lewis – six (titles) on one facet and three on the opposite,” he smiled. “And I don’t have their mentality. Is {that a} good factor or not? You resolve. However I would like extra titles. I’m not stopping right here.”
On the 2026 image, Norris performed down favorite standing, suggesting Mercedes’ George Russell at present leads the bookmakers’ lists.
“However I’m with a group that’s received the final two world championships,” Norris added. “So I’m not missing confidence that we’ll be robust. Whether or not it’s first, second, third or fourth, I don’t know. I’ve discovered to not have expectations – they simply create stress for no motive.”
Alongside Norris, Oscar Piastri has additionally emerged from a quiet winter, addressing lingering debate over McLaren’s much-criticised ‘papaya guidelines’ after a tense 2025 season.
“We’ve discovered some classes,” Piastri mentioned. “Some issues went nicely, however there have been additionally some powerful moments. Each I personally and the group want to determine find out how to deal with these conditions higher.”
McLaren group boss Andrea Stella has already confirmed that the inner guidelines governing wheel-to-wheel racing might be adjusted for 2026, a transfer Piastri helps.
“Streamlining the foundations is a clever choice,” the Australian mentioned. “We created some pointless complications for ourselves. The precept brings many positives – now it’s about fine-tuning it.”
Regardless of criticism from some followers who imagine the system favoured Norris, Piastri insists he was by no means deprived.
“I had my truthful probability,” he mentioned. “That shouldn’t change. It doesn’t imply all the things went completely, however there have been by no means any sick intentions. I by no means doubted the group’s good religion.”
Piastri accepts that perfection is inconceivable in Method 1.
“You may’t make the proper choice each time, and you may’t make everybody blissful,” he mentioned. “That’s the character of F1 – a group sport the place, in the long run, the prize goes to a person.”
