The image battle facing F1's 'nice guy'

After a hectic year for Formula 1 featuring 17 races in just over five months, most of the paddock felt in need of a holiday. But while the world remains in the grip of a pandemic and as travel restrictions grow again, it's a prospect most could only dream of during the winter months.

Nevertheless, a number of drivers have managed to get away, incorporating some time off into their off-season preparations. Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly are just three drivers to have done so, each recently spending some time in Dubai. Travel from the UK is permitted on work grounds, meaning a training camp - which Norris was travelling for - is technically an acceptable reason for leaving the country.

In the case of Norris, he had to spend a bit more time in Dubai than planned. A positive test for COVID-19 in early January forced him to self-isolate for two weeks in a hotel, having reported a loss of taste and smell. He has since returned to the UK. (Leclerc also tested positive following his trip upon returning home to Monaco.)

Amid the majority of messages wishing Norris a speedy recovery, there was some criticism. "You should have known the risks when you jetted off to Dubai," said one Twitter user. A more scathing response read: "This should hopefully teach you a lesson to not go on holiday during a pandemic as England is suffering."

It is not the first time that Norris has faced blowback for his actions. The 'knives out' nature of social media, frequently fuelled by cancel culture that waits for public figures to trip up, makes stars susceptible to criticism that is sometimes unfair. Comments can be twisted and made into bigger stories than they actually are.

In the case of Norris, it is felt more acutely. Not only is he the most active F1 driver across social media platforms, but he has also cultivated a 'good guy' image throughout his career, reflecting his personality and demeanour away from the race track. It means that anything wavering from this immediately stands out and acts as perfect fodder for keyboard warriors. It already forced Norris to adjust his approach to social media through 2020.

"When it was a difficult day in 2019, I always took it as a bit of a joke, or portrayed it as a joke with some of my comments on social media and things," Norris tells Autosport in an interview conducted prior to his positive COVID result. "People would love that, but some would also just think, 'oh he's not doing any work, that's why he's not doing well enough, because he is just too jokey.'

"I feel like I'm a nice guy and I try to be a nice guy all of the time. But I also try to speak a bit of the truth sometimes, and say what is true, and sometimes people don't like that" Lando Norris

"People then portray that differently and say that I'm working better and that I'm doing a better job. People paint two pictures of it."

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The same applies to Norris' comments in the media, seen most acutely after the Portuguese Grand Prix last year. Following Lewis Hamilton's record-breaking 92nd grand prix victory, Norris was asked for his thoughts on his compatriot's success, and said: "He's in a car which should win every race basically. He has to beat one or two other drivers, that's it."

It was a flippant comment, but came after a frustrating race for Norris in which he clashed with Lance Stroll - whom the Briton directly hit out at, saying he "doesn't seem to learn with anything he does" - but resulted in a lot of heat aimed at the McLaren driver. Norris issued an apology for being "careless" with his comments, chiefly those about Hamilton.

"It was tricky," reflects Norris. "There's no-one I probably respect more in the paddock than Lewis and what he's done. I feel like I'm a nice guy and I try to be a nice guy all of the time. But I also try to speak a bit of the truth sometimes, and say what is true, and sometimes people don't like that.

"I never mean something bad against anyone. It's always an emotion and an outburst which every driver does. I've made mistakes now, and I'm sure I'm going to make them in the future.

"Sometimes you shouldn't worry too much about what other people say. The fact I said sorry was because I didn't mean it ever to go out in that way. I never meant it in a bad way or for people to take offence to it. That's why I ended up apologising because I never meant it in that way.

"I was annoyed how my race went and the things that went on, and I lost points and so on. I never meant it to take anything away from Lewis, who is a seven-time world champion and I respect a lot."

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Even with comments made in the heat of the moment, the difficulty Norris faces is that they go against the image many have built up of him. Had another driver said as much - say, Kimi Raikkonen - it would probably have become a viral video or meme. Norris agrees.

"I think if Kimi had said it, people would have loved it!" he exclaims. "There's nothing you can do about that, that's just how people portray you.

"I guess I've come in and I have been the jokey guy, and perhaps not been as serious as I should have been. I feel like I've done a better job with that.

"But I guess people have just never seen the bad side of me, or the angry side of me, and then when I have shown that, people just think I'm acting out in a bad way and I'm disrespecting everyone, which I'm not.

"You have other drivers who say these kind of things a lot of the time, and just because they've always said it, people just find that normal and then that's just the way it is. Then I say something a bit more aggressive or offensive in some ways, and people just see that as a contrasted side of myself.

"That's just the way it is. It's not something I can just change, it's just people's perceptions of different people."

Norris's acceptance of that perception is important. The flack he faced after his Hamilton comments had an impact, but the maturity of his response - which many deemed to be an overreaction - puts him in good stead for the future. Holding such accountability for his actions is something many of his peers should take note of.

"I laugh at jokes because they're funny. I don't try and be someone fake and someone I'm not, because then I'm not living my life" Lando Norris

Although Norris has learned about the fickle nature of the F1 fan community at times, he won't lose his authenticity. He's recently teamed up with some prominent YouTubers to form a new group called Quadrant, allowing him to create entertaining content regularly.

He would like to restart streaming games with the likes of Leclerc, George Russell and Alexander Albon over the winter, should their schedules allow, after the 'Twitch quartet' gained great fame through the first lockdown last year. He's also planning on improving his golf game, proudly saying he's no longer sticking to Top Golf driving ranges - "I'm more serious now!" - and enjoying his time off as best possible.

Through it all, though, Norris wants to be authentic, and not give his fans a watered-down version of himself.

"I still say what I say, I still laugh," he says. "I laugh at jokes because they're funny. I don't try and be someone fake and someone I'm not, because then I'm not living my life."

Unfiltered Lando is the Lando F1 needs. He's been a positive force ever since his debut. It's important we don't harangue him for mistakes that could cause that light to dim.