Reigning Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris has had his say on George Russell’s title battle with his Mercedes teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Last season, Norris found himself in a similar situation to his fellow countryman. Despite winning the opening round in Melbourne, the Briton found himself on the back foot heading into the summer break. However, consistency and an “what have I got to lose” mentality resulted in the 26-year-old overcoming a major deficit to claim the title.
Whilst only seven rounds into the season, Russell finds himself in a similar situation to Norris. Antonelli has claimed victory in five races, opening a 50-point gap to his more experienced team-mate. Creating a high-pressure situation for the Briton.
A shift in mindset was crucial for the McLaren driver’s championship run. However, Norris suggests it may not work for Russell despite the pair’s similar situations.
“It certainly made a difference,” Norris discussed his mentality to media, including Motorsport Week.
“Everyone thinks differently. I’ve always put a lot of pressure on myself.
I don’t know if George puts pressure on himself or doesn’t or feels it or not. I don’t know what situation he was necessarily in now.”
“He’s also always been quite a confident guy at the same time,” Norris explained.
“Whereas last year I went from not much confidence to, ‘what have I got to lose now?’ He’s gone from feeling quite confident to maybe losing some of that confidence.”
Norris believes Russell must have a unique approach to F1 title fight
Importantly, the reigning World Champion emphasised that every driver must determine what approach works best for them. Only seven races into the season, Russell has ample time to work out how he must manage this title fight.
“Maybe now, getting to that point, every driver has to find their own way of doing it. It’s not one thing works for all,” Norris said.
“It’s tough to know exactly what you’ve got to do in that situation. Do you put more pressure on yourself? Do you try and feel none of it?”
The Briton continued by saying the added title of a “Championship Contender” comes with its own set of challenges. Which will impact both Russell and the high-flying Antonelli.
“There are a lot of things to think about as soon as someone says you’re a title contender and you’re in that situation,”
Norris highlighted that the Italian has put together a consistent season, surprising many on the grid, including his own team-mate Russell.
“He’s (George Russell) also got a team-mate who’s doing a pretty unbelievable job.
“Probably better than I would say most people were expecting in here. He’s got pressure from having a very good team-mate and someone who’s challenging him incredibly well, not making any mistakes. And then you’ve got your own challenge of just getting the most out of yourself.”
As the season begins to enter a crucial stage for Russell, the pressure is mounting on the Briton to halt Antonelli’s momentum and keep his championship hopes alive.
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