During the 2025 Formula 1 season, Lando Norris has emerged as a strong contender, currently sitting second in the championship battle with five race victories. McLaren CEO Zak Brown emphasized the major strides Norris has made in overcoming mental obstacles that previously hindered his performance.
Norris is engaged in a fierce title battle with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, trailing by just nine points after 14 rounds. He began the year with a commanding win from pole position in Australia, has secured three wins in the last four races, and narrowly finished second to Piastri in Belgium.
Despite a racing incident in Canada where Norris collided with Piastri and lost 10 crucial points after crashing out, Brown noted that Norris swiftly moved past the mistake—a sign of his improved mentality.
Where in the past Norris might have dwelled on such errors, this season he has shown resilience and a noticeably stronger mindset. Brown remarked,
“I think Lando’s in a great place,”
attributing the driver’s recent consistency and growth to his mental development.
He also challenged outdated perceptions of Norris’s ability to win from pole position, stating,
“There was also a time Lando couldn’t win from pole, according to the world, and he’s won four of the last five races [he’s started] from pole.”
Brown added,
“So I think this kind of narrative around Lando is not accurate today.”
Overcoming Pressure Compared to 2024 Season
In the latter part of the 2024 season, Norris was recognized as Max Verstappen’s closest competitor, though he was often outmatched mentally by the Dutch driver. Meanwhile, Piastri demonstrated unwavering calm under pressure, which led some to question Norris’s ability to maintain composure in a championship fight.
Norris’s tendency for self-criticism, especially during disappointing performances, reinforced this view. However, the 2025 season has displayed a different side of the Briton, who now handles setbacks with greater maturity, reflected in his improved results.
Brown observed,
“He’s open, kind of wears his emotions on his sleeve, so to speak,”
adding,
“I think everyone’s different, but I think he’s in a great place. I’ve never seen him in a better place.”
Referring specifically to Norris’s qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Brown commented,
“I think the Lando of a year ago maybe would have been more critical on himself,”
and highlighted,
“He’s doing an awesome job. So, no, I think that is much like the he can’t win from pole stat. Now that he’s won four or five races from pole, no one seems to be talking about that.”
Lando Norris Opens Up on His Mental Fortitude
Norris himself has acknowledged the ongoing journey of building stronger mental resilience and avoiding fixation on negatives. After the Bahrain Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia—dominated by Piastri—Norris shared insights into his internal struggle with balancing self-criticism and positive reinforcement.
He explained,
“It’s a balance, I think I’m clearly still trying to improve on,”
and added,
“Such as this week, trying to remind myself of the good things. I do think of the bad stuff, the negative things, more than I think of the positives.”
Norris admitted that he sometimes needs others to remind him of his accomplishments, saying,
“I have to get reminded that I’m leading the championship and that I won the first race and things like that, and I’ve been on the podium every race. I have to get reminded of them rather than just being able to remind myself.”
He explained that while his self-demanding nature mostly works to his advantage, it can also lead to overthinking. Norris added,
“I accept that there’s probably the last few per cent which can be a very important few per cent where I probably say too many negatives and that gets into my own head and I don’t think of the positives as much as I should.”
He concluded on this note,
“I probably just don’t remind myself enough of [the positives] and that’s probably something, the main area I would say that I need to improve on.”
Implications for the Championship Battle
Lando Norris’s improved mental resilience has directly contributed to his competitive edge in the 2025 Formula 1 season, enabling him to maintain pressure on Piastri and remain a key contender in the title race. His ability to recover quickly from setbacks and reduce self-doubt could prove pivotal as the season progresses beyond the summer break.
Zak Brown’s insights reflect a transformed Norris who is learning to balance emotional openness with focused determination—qualities essential for sustaining championship-level performance. As the battle tightens, this mental growth may prove to be the defining factor distinguishing Norris’s championship push in the races ahead.
