After capping his 20‑year quest with the title, McLaren’s Lando Norris says he is now a relaxed, confident driver.
Winning the championship freed Norris from the relentless pressure that defined his career. He can now say “I can die happy”, a phrase he seldom used before.
From anxiety to calm
During the season, the 25‑year‑old had to rely on specialists for mental support. The taping of the F1 Beyond The Grid podcast highlighted the help he benefited from, a system that felt “foreign” at the start of the campaign.
Confidence built on a trophy
Norris explains that the trophy has become a concrete block he can lean on, giving him an internal reference point. “When people call me ‘you struggled last year’, I have a tangible result to counter that narrative,” he says.
Gaining a new psychological edge
That mental shift means a smoother approach to racecraft; the driver now feels “more confident” because he knows he can look back at a milestone instead of fearing future failures.
With the championship in tow, Norris is stepping into the next season as a driver relieved of the weight that once occupied every corner of his mind.
"