Norris returns to a confidence “at its lowest” during his early days in Formula 1
As he prepares to embark on his fifth season in Formula 1 still with the McLaren team, Lando Norris reflects on his particularly difficult beginnings that have affected his mental health and self-esteem.
The 23-year-old Briton is already starting his fifth season of his young career. In 2022, he managed to stand out from the rest of the field again. He was the only driver outside of the top teams to achieve a podium finish (at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola) and ended the season with a total of 122 points, making him the best of the rest last year.
He was praised not only for his talent, but also for his willingness to openly discuss mental health on certain platforms. In a recent interview for GQ magazine, he revealed: “I didn’t need to do it [talk about mental health], but it was a choice because I struggled a lot with it in 2019 and 2020.”
I simply didn’t know how to handle it. I kept everything inside and it really hurt my self-confidence and self-esteem, which were at an all-time low. I doubted myself: “Am I good enough to be in Formula 1? Will I be able to come back from this?”
The impact of negative comments on social media has also affected the McLaren driver, who continues to face it: (in English) You can’t please everyone. There are people who support you and others who don’t… I know that I’m doing my best.
Lando Norris is preparing to start a new season with the team based in Woking, alongside rookie Oscar Piastri. Their 2023 car will be unveiled on February 13, the same day as Aston Martin.
Find all the presentation dates of the F1 2023 in our calendar.
