When Lando Norris gets into his car and puts on his helmet, he sets aside all friendships in the paddock. Obviously, outside the car, he’s very friendly, but he admitted that when the visor goes down, it’s as if he hates everyone.
This season is the first real opportunity for the British driver to win his first F1 Drivers’ Championship. Max Verstappen is still in the lead, with a 52-point advantage six rounds before the end of the season, but Norris remains optimistic and trusts his car. Although, off the track, the Brit is very close friends with the Dutchman, if he wants to win, he cannot think about their relationship when racing.
Many drivers have said that although they are friends, they can separate the two realities: on track, rivals; off track, friends/colleagues. This sometimes leads to tensions, often caused by the adrenaline of the moment, but then they find a way to laugh about it weekend after weekend.
Lando Norris is well-liked in the F1 paddock and has a friendly relationship with many of his competitors, especially those of his age with whom he has already competed in the sport’s lower categories. Among them is Verstappen from the Red Bull team.
Lando Norris’ comments
At the moment, McLaren has managed to surpass the Milton Keynes team in the Constructors’ Championship. The battles between the two drivers on track are not only for the Drivers’ Championship but also for their teams.
The British driver stated: “Once I put on the helmet, I hate everyone. This remains the same [for everyone]. Many people think that just because you get along with someone or play a game together, it automatically makes you best friends in all aspects of life. That’s total nonsense.”
“[It’s true that] we do these things,” he added. “Our [Norris/Verstappen] interests are similar. We engage in group padel games, that kind of thing.
I think Max [Verstappen] is a very straightforward guy, and I like him as a person. However, that makes no difference when I’m racing on track.”
The collision between Lando Norris’ McLaren and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in Austria showed that both are willing to push the limits while competing. The British driver believes that his friendship with the three-time world champion motivates him to beat the Dutchman – “I believe the people you connect with off the track are the ones you’re most determined to beat when racing, which goes against the common belief many hold. They think you’re overly friendly on track because of your relationship [for example] as teammates. I think it’s exactly the opposite.”
The McLaren driver has closed the gap to Max Verstappen over the last few race weekends, and the papaya team believes it is still possible to overtake the reigning champions. Lando Norris then commented on his recent victory in Singapore.
He concluded by saying: “Our teamwork was impeccable, especially in securing Oscar’s [Piastri] third place. However, we have to keep doing that in every race until the end of the year if I want a chance to beat Max [Verstappen].
We’re working very hard, and if I keep doing the same thing I did that weekend, it’s definitely achievable.”
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