Norris: McLaren’s F1 team boss approach important in my development
McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris believes his CEO Zak Brown and team boss Andreas Seidl have played a "hugely important' role in his development over the past two and a half years.
Norris joined the Woking squad ahead of the 2019 F1 season and has since grown into one of the sport's most reliable performers, taking four podiums over the past 18 months while currently holding third in the 2021 driver standings ahead of Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull driver Sergio Perez.
The 21-year-old has particularly impressed this season with his consistency, which is crucial for McLaren in its battle with Ferrari for third in the constructors' championship, Norris finishing in the top five in nine of the first 12 races.
Norris says his bosses Brown and Seidl have played an important role in his development, saying they strike a balance between being supportive and giving the young Briton a proverbial kick up the backside when needed.
"I think it's been hugely important," he replied when asked by Autosport about the support he gets from Brown and Seidl.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
"Having them support you in tough times and criticise you when you need to be criticised.
"It's not all about trying to make you feel good but telling you the truth and tell you: 'You've just got to be better in this area, and you've got to be better in this area'.
"But they just want to help you as well, it's not like all you have to do is impress them. They also want to help you do a better job and maximise yourself.
"And it's definitely helped me progress quicker, become a better driver. I still feel pressure from them, so it's not like it's easy and we're best mates or whatever and I can get away with everything."
He added: "They're still my bosses and I don't want to make mistakes; I don't want to make them look bad. And I've still got a job at the end of the day where I have to perform and go out and do a very good job.
"It's also in those tougher times or the times you struggle, or the times you need that kick up the arse to go and do a better job in whatever area, that they give you that. And I think it's a very good combination of these types of things that they're able to help on."
Norris is known as a particularly analytical and self-critical driver, which Seidl has previously identified as one of the reasons behind Norris' progress.
"Obviously, all drivers are different and some people don't feel like they want support, they feel like they can do it alone," Norris explained.
"And then you get some drivers who need lots of support, and they need all the confidence from every person around them possible.
"I would say I'm kind of in the middle, I love doing a lot of things alone. And being a very kind of negative guy, I'm trying to work on myself a lot.
"I feel like I can do a lot by complimenting myself and being negative about myself, and I can learn a lot from just doing that."
The gradual decline and demise of F1's greatest innovator
Alonso: Alpine has lost too much ground to McLaren in F1
The downside to F1's show and tell proposal
Technology lies at the heart of the F1 story and it fascinates fans, which is why the commercial rights holder plans to compel teams to show more of their ‘secrets’. STUART CODLING fears this will encourage techno-quackery…
How getting sacked gave Mercedes F1’s tech wizard lasting benefits
He’s had a hand in world championship-winning Formula 1 cars for Benetton, Renault and Mercedes, and was also a cog in the Schumacher-Ferrari axis. Having recently ‘moved upstairs’ as Mercedes chief technical officer, James Allison tells STUART CODLING about his career path and why being axed by Benetton was one of the best things that ever happened to him
The remarkable qualities that propelled Kubica’s F1 comeback
It’s easy to look at Robert Kubica’s second Formula 1 career and feel a sense of sadness that he didn’t reach the heights for which he seemed destined. But as BEN ANDERSON discovered, performance and results are almost meaningless in this context – something more fundamental and incredible happened…
The humbling changes Ricciardo made to deliver the goods for McLaren
From being lapped by his own team-mate in Monaco to winning at Monza, it’s been a tumultuous first season at McLaren for Daniel Ricciardo. But, as he tells STUART CODLING, there’s more to the story of his turnaround than having a lovely summer holiday during Formula 1's summer break...
The potential benefits of losing the F1 constructors' title
As the battle continues to rage over the F1 2021 drivers' championship, teams up and down the grid are turning their attentions to the prize money attributed to each position in the constructors' standings. But F1's sliding scale rules governing windtunnel and CFD use will soften the blow for those who miss out on the top places
The invisible enemy that’s made Hamilton’s title charge tougher
After winning his past few Formula 1 titles at a canter, Lewis Hamilton currently trails Max Verstappen by eight points heading into the final double-header of 2021. Although Red Bull has been his biggest on-track challenge, Hamilton feels that he has just as much to grapple with away from the circuit
Why F1’s inconvenient penalties have to stay
OPINION: Quibbles over the length of time taken by Formula 1's stewards over decisions are entirely valid. But however inconvenient it is, there can be no questioning the importance of having clearly defined rules that everyone understands and can stick to. Recent events have shown that ambiguity could have big consequences
The mistakes Red Bull cannot afford to repeat in F1 2021’s title fight climax
OPINION: Red Bull has had Formula 1’s fastest package for most of 2021, but in several of the title run-in events it has wasted the RB16B’s potential. It cannot afford to do so again with Lewis Hamilton motoring back towards Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings with two rounds remaining