F1 News: Lando Norris Annoyed With Himself - 'I Have Made A Few Too Many Mistakes'

Alex Harrington | Aug 2, 2024

Jun 8, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; McLaren driver Lando Norris (GBR) in the pit lane at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Lando Norris, the one-time race winner for McLaren, has recently expressed frustrations with his own performances, admitting to several mistakes that have hindered his races so far this season, especially when pitted against high-caliber competitors like Max Verstappen. Despite a promising start to the season, including a victory at the Miami Grand Prix, Norris has observed a troubling inconsistency in his results.

Throughout the season, the Briton showed potential by securing pole positions on four occasions following his Miami victory, but failed to convert these into first-place finishes. Currently, he sits as the runner-up in the driver’s championship standings, trailing a substantial 78 points behind leader Max Verstappen.

Norris pinpointed the start of each race as a critical weakness, acknowledging that his inability to maintain the lead or perform well enough in the opening laps has been costly.

"I’ve got to work on myself and work on a few things first," he admitted.

"I feel like I’ve had the car and I’ve got what I need around me. But I’ve made probably a few too many mistakes – I have made a few too many mistakes over the last month or so. I’ve lost opportunities. So I think I would like to do that."

He continued:

"It’s my starts. Just some decision making, here and there.

"It’s small things that have had big, big consequences. A lot of stuff now in Formula 1, a small difference will have a big consequence because it’s so close."

During the upcoming summer break, Norris has planned a dual approach: taking time to disconnect while simultaneously engaging in a rigorous evaluation of his performances. He aims to identify and address fundamental weaknesses in his driving.

"But I know that and I know I’ve got to work on my things and keep focussed. So that’s what I’ll use this summer break for – as much as it’s to disconnect, it’s to review a lot of things and make sure I come back stronger."

As he targets eliminating these "few too many mistakes," the remainder of the season may well see a resurgent Norris, potentially closer to the peak of his racing performance. Because if there's a time for him to pull something out of the bag, it would be now.