McLaren CEO Zak Brown says Lando Norris has made major progress in handling the psychological demands of Formula 1, describing the 2025 title contender as being in a “great place”.
The Briton has long been his own harshest critic, but he is now said to have made strides in avoiding that mindset and dismissing the negative “narrative” surrounding his pole position record.
Last season, Norris was engaged in a titanic title battle with the unstoppable force that is Max Verstappen – a daunting challenge in his maiden fight for championship glory in F1.
It took its toll on the McLaren driver, who often struggled to convert poles into race victories and harshly criticised himself after mistakes – a prime example came at Silverstone, when he said “I blame myself today”, after missing out on victory to Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
In the midst of another title fight this season, with team-mate Oscar Piastri, Norris finds himself again having to cope with the inevitable setbacks that occur in racing.
He was tested in Canada, following a late-race collision with the Australian, and ultimately took responsibility for the incident.
Despite occasional self-criticism, Norris has bounced back quickly, following up his earlier wins in Australia and Monaco with further victories in Austria, Silverstone, and Hungary.
With five wins and four poles to his name, Norris appears to be in a healthier frame of mind – a view shared by Brown.
“I think Lando’s in a great place,” he told Racer. “There was also a time Lando couldn’t win from pole, according to the world, and he’s won four of the last five races [he’s started] from pole. So I think this kind of narrative around Lando is not accurate today.”
McLaren on Norris’ growth and mental resilience
The American boss offered more insight into Norris’ mindset, highlighting both his openness and the progress he has made.
“He’s open, kind of wears his emotions on his sleeve, so to speak,” Brown said. “I think everyone’s different, but I think he’s in a great place. I’ve never seen him in a better place.”
Reflecting on qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix, he added: “I think the Lando of a year ago maybe would have been more critical on himself.
“He’s doing an awesome job. So, no, I think that is much like the he can’t win from pole stat. Now that he’s won four or five races from pole, no one seems to be talking about that.”
Norris himself has acknowledged his ongoing work to strengthen his mental fortitude. After a challenging Bahrain Grand Prix, he reflected on his tendency to dwell on negatives and explained how he’s learning to focus on the positives.
“It’s a balance, and I’m still trying to improve,” he said. “I have to remind myself of the good things — that I’m leading the championship, that I won the first race, and that I’ve been on the podium every race.
“I know I’m hard on myself, and that toughness is part of what makes me competitive in Formula 1. But I also need to focus more on the positives, which is the main area I’m working on.”
READ MORE – Why Lando Norris won’t resort to mind games in Oscar Piastri F1 championship battle
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