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."
Read Also:
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

Latest news
Laser Tools Racing continues in BTCC with Hill
The Laser Tools Racing name that was carried to British Touring Car Championship titles in 2020 and 2021 will continue in the series after all with Jake Hill.
McLaren to share F1 reserve driver Schumacher with Mercedes
Mercedes Formula 1 reserve driver Mick Schumacher will be also made available as a stand-in to McLaren, the Woking team has announced.
NASCAR Next Gen car gets safety upgrades for 2023 season
NASCAR unveiled some changes to the Next Gen car for the 2023 season, with most enhancing its safety aspects.
O’Ward optimistic about Rossi and that McLaren IndyCar DNFs can be reduced
Arrow McLaren ace Pato O’Ward says he’s confident that Alexander Rossi will be a strong addition to the line-up and that the team has gotten on top of its mechanical woes.
The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
How do the best races of F1 2022 stack up to 2021?
OPINION: A system to score all the grands prix from the past two seasons produces some interesting results and sets a standard that 2023 should surely exceed
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing
The potential-laden F1 car that Ferrari neglected
The late Mauro Forghieri played a key role in Ferrari’s mid-1960s turnaround, says STUART CODLING, and his pretty, intricate 1512 was among the most evocative cars of the 1.5-litre era. But a victim of priorities as Formula 1 was deemed less lucrative than success in sportscars, its true potential was never seen in period
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.