Sacked F1 team boss offers crucial advice for self-critical Lando Norris amidst inevitable 2024 title defeat
Former F1 team boss Otmar Szafnauer highlighted the advice Lando Norris needs to hear over being too harsh on himself.
Follow Us
Lando Norris (via imago)
Lando Norris emerged as a real title contender against Max Verstappen in 2024. The three-time world champion was feeling the heat in his battle with the McLaren driver. However, Norris made a few mistakes and publicly criticized himself. Now, former Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer highlighted what he would tell the 25-year-old if he was his team boss.
Szafnauer pointed out that he never got the chance to work with Lando Norris. As the British driver has stayed at McLaren since his 2019 F1 debut. Although, Otmar Szafnauer claimed that he was in touch with Norris’ father Adam Norris.
The former Alpine boss asserted that the 25-year-old can be really hard on himself when it comes to blaming himself over on-track performances. Szafnauer insisted that if he was at McLaren, he would urge Norris to believe in himself. The Romanian-American insisted that the McLaren driver needs to be more positive.
I have never worked with him, but I know his dad. I don’t know Lando that well myself. But I listen to him, and he can be really hard on himself. He blames himself for a lot of things. I think that if he can change that and be a bit more positive… I’d like to work with him and just say, ‘Hey, you’re great, believe in yourself.’
Otmar Szafnauer said on the High Performance Podcast
Ex-F1 champion declares 2024 title out of Lando Norris’ hands
With three races to go in 2024, Lando Norris trails Max Verstappen by 62 points. This has put the British driver in a difficult situation as he could lose the championship at the next race in Las Vegas. Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve claimed that things were not in the hands of the 25-year-old anymore. Norris would simply need to do his best and hope that Verstappen fails to get points.
It’s not in Lando’s hands anymore. All he can do is race hard and fast and hope that the Red Bull doesn’t score. That’s all.
Jacques Villeneuve told Grosvenor Sport
Lando Norris would be looking to try and take the title battle till the final race in Abu Dhabi. However, it is almost certain that Verstappen will win his fourth consecutive world title. As Norris would struggle to outscore the Dutchman by 20 points in every race. Thus, the McLaren star should shift his focus to posing a challenge next season.
Stay Updated!
Armaan Agarwal
(2310 Articles Published)