Lando Norris says self-criticism of his performances in Formula 1 helps him to stay motivated amid McLaren’s slow start to the 2023 season.
McLaren has started the year on the back foot after conceding at its MCL60 launch that it had opted to take a different development approach long-term.
The team started the season with two consecutive races without points on the board and undertook a technical restructuring, including the departure of James Key.
The changes were praised by Norris, who said he was pleased to see that it is not afraid to make difficult decisions.
McLaren currently sits fifth in the Constructors’ Championship after profiting from the chaotic conclusion to the last round in Australia to have both Norris and Oscar Piastri in the points.
Norris’ contract at McLaren runs through 2025, which was signed prior to the 2022 campaign, and he stressed he has not contemplated a move.
“I can’t really look elsewhere, that doesn’t change,” Norris explained.
“Any driver on the grid wants to have confidence in the team. I don’t think anything necessarily changes my motivation. I’m motivated every weekend to do the best job I can.
“One big driver is that I’m very critical of my own performances every weekend, when I’ve done a shit job, I’ll say I’ve done a shit job. Even if I’ve [finished] P2 or P1, you know, I’ll still be a guy that’s not happy being P1 because I’m like ‘I didn’t do a good job’.
“So I think that motivates me every week, I motivate myself very easily every weekend. I don’t need the team or the future to necessarily do that for me.
“But it’s a big confidence booster when you know you have things to look forward to, when you have people in place or whatever.”
Norris has been joined at McLaren by Oscar Piastri in 2023, after convincingly out-pacing former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo across the last two seasons.
The Briton says that his rookie stable-mate has already provided him with more of a challenge than he faced in recent years.
