McLaren’s Lando Norris on dealing with social media criticism, speaking to GQ: “You’re never going to please everyone. There are people that support you and people that don’t. A few people said that I had saved their life. That hits you pretty hard”
Last Updated: 18/01/23 12:32pm
Relive some of the best races this year in Formula 1, including the Bahrain, British, Hungarian, US and Sao Paulo Grand Prixs.
Relive some of the best races this year in Formula 1, including the Bahrain, British, Hungarian, US and Sao Paulo Grand Prixs.
Lando Norris believes that speaking about his own mental health during the early stages of his Formula 1 career has helped others who are struggling.
Norris earned star billing on and off the track when he broke into the sport as a 19-year-old in 2019, becoming the youngest F1 British driver in history and being thrown into the public spotlight.
The McLaren driver spoke out last year about the impact his quickly-found fame had on his personal life, including receiving heavy criticism on social media, and he has since learned how opening up has benefited others.
Relive some of the biggest crashes this year in Formula One, including Nicholas Latifi in Australia, Mick Schumacher in Saudi Arabia and Zhou Guanyu in Britain.
Relive some of the biggest crashes this year in Formula One, including Nicholas Latifi in Australia, Mick Schumacher in Saudi Arabia and Zhou Guanyu in Britain.
Speaking ahead of his fifth season in the sport, Norris told GQ: “It was a choice [to speak about mental health]because I struggled quite a bit with it in 2019 and 2020.
“I just didn’t know how to deal with it. I kept all of it inside and it really hurt my self-belief and self-confidence, which got to an all-time low.
“I doubted myself: ‘Am I good enough to be in Formula One? Can I come back from this?’
Take a look at some of the best overtakes from the 2022 season.
Take a look at some of the best overtakes from the 2022 season.
“You’re never going to please everyone. There are people that support you and people that don’t. I know I’m doing the best I can.
“A few people said that I had saved their life. That hits you pretty hard.”
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Norris finished seventh in the constructors’ championship last year, scoring 85 more points than team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, with the 23-year-old now partnering Australian rookie Oscar Piastri for the forthcoming season.
The MCL37 – McLaren’s car for 2023 – is set to be launched on February 13, with Norris setting realistic expectations for the season ahead as he searches for a long-awaited breakthrough race victory.
Relive some of the best individual drives in Formula 1 this year as Carlos Sainz and George Russell secured maiden wins, while Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso staged remarkable recovery drives.
Relive some of the best individual drives in Formula 1 this year as Carlos Sainz and George Russell secured maiden wins, while Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso staged remarkable recovery drives.
“I think I’m a fair loser, but I’ve always been a guy who’s very harsh on myself. I’m very critical of my own performance,” Norris added. “I always think, What could I have done better? And then, What could the team have done better?
“With everything I’ve learned, maybe I could win a race [in 2023]but I’m unlikely to win a championship until possibly that time [2024 or 2025]. I know I need to be at the absolute top of my game in those years.”
Watch pre-season testing in Bahrain from February 23-25 live on Sky Sports, ahead of a bumper 23-race calendar beginning at the same venue on March 5. All 23 races in 2023 will be live on Sky Sports F1.
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https://formulaone.news/mclaren/the-supercar-worth-getting-excited-about
