Lando Norris has revealed he suffered from nerves and anxiety throughout his first Formula 1 season in 2019, and was consistently questioning if he had what it takes to succeed in the sport.
The Briton, who had just graduated from the 2018 Formula 2 Championship, finished 11th in the F1 Drivers’ Championship in his rookie year with a best result of sixth place.
Norris began his 2020 campaign in strong fashion, bagging his first career podium at the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.
The 21-year-old says that despite the enthusiasm and apparent confidence he emitted last season, he was secretly struggling with anxiety throughout the year.
“Have you ever struggled with something mentally but hidden it from the world by putting on a brave face? I know I have,” Norris wrote on a McLaren.com blog post as part of International Men’s Day, where the focus is on raising awareness of mental health.
“During my first season racing in Formula 1, I might have looked like the new kid on the block full of confidence and enthusiasm but that really wasn’t the case.
“I covered up the fact that I was struggling a lot with nerves and anxiety.
“Despite making it to F1, something I had dreamt of ever since I began racing, I found myself questioning my own self-belief: worrying if I had what it took, comparing myself with my team-mate and other drivers.
“It screws with your head. It’s tough to deal with and I’m sure many other drivers have struggled with it in the past.
“But in sport, because no one wants to give the opposition an edge or show any weakness, we don’t talk about mental health as much as we should – and we really should.”
Norris added that up to the end of last year, he worked with a mind coach to help him through his struggles.
However in 2020, the McLaren driver feels confident enough to take charge of his mental health, which he describes is part of the “growing process”.
“Until the end of last season, I worked with a mind coach for a few years – another great example of someone I could reach out to, to work on my nerves and get me into a more positive mental state,” Norris said.
“But this year I felt confident enough to take more responsibility for my own mental health. I think it’s all part of the growing process.
“I had reached a stage where I felt ready to think for myself more when it came to finding ways to overcome mental challenges.
“It’s [mental health] something that affects us all, but it’s equally something people don’t feel like they can talk about.
“This needs to change and I hope that the work we’re doing at McLaren, in support of Mind, can be a driving force for better mental health for everyone.
“If you’re struggling with your mental health right now, please don’t struggle alone. Reach out to someone you can talk to.”
