Lando Norris had a hard time forgiving himself after the 2021 Russian Grand Prix
In Russia, in 2021, Lando Norris made a mistake depriving him of the victory. As the rain poured down on the track, the British driver decided to stay on dry tires. It was a mistake that took him a long time to recover from.
The 2021 Russian Grand Prix, the last race in Sochi so far, had been full of twists and turns. After McLaren’s one-two finish in Monza and Daniel Ricciardo’s victory on Italian soil, Lando Norris had the opportunity to chase his first career win in Formula 1. But a strategic choice, decided by himself, would cost him the top step of the podium.
A disaster scenario
The British driver was leaving from the first position, after achieving a pole position in an unusual context. The session took place on Sunday morning, due to the rains that had fallen on the Sochi track on Saturday.
Leader until the 50th lap of the race after overtaking his former teammate Carlos Sainz around the 20th lap. A long battle with Lewis Hamilton for the victory ensued. Ultimately, Lando Norris made the decision not to pit as rain fell in the final two laps. Lewis Hamilton then caught up and secured his 100th victory.
The gravity of a mistake or decision also depends on the situation you are in. In Sochi, in 2021, it was probably one of the hardest things to overcome. Not just because of what happened, but also because of what we almost achieved, said Lando Norris. It may be a mistake that haunts him until the end of his career if he never wins a Grand Prix.
A difficult mistake
The Briton admitted to having struggled to recover from this mistake. The fact that the decision came from him and him alone did not help. Nonetheless, Lando Norris had the opportunity to gain experience for the future, in order to avoid making this kind of mistake again, which can cost a victory.
« It’s completely my fault, it takes much longer to recover from it. […] This also applies to spins or accidents. If a result is unsatisfactory because of an error that is 100% or even 50% my fault, it is much worse than if we simply lack pace »,” said Lando Norris.
The British driver begins his fifth year in Formula 1, with the same team, McLaren. At the age of 23, Lando Norris already has a great deal of experience in the automotive world. These numerous and lengthy years have taught him a lot for the future and to grow.
I am much better than when I started. I struggled a lot during my first seasons in 2019 and 2020. […] But I have grown and gained experience. I seek to learn from what went wrong when things don’t go well. I try to approach things in a constructive way, the British athlete testified.
