Lando Norris, the McLaren driver, reveals that he prefers not to eat or drink on race day. This revelation comes ahead of the Grand Prix weekend in Monza. Despite his growing familiarity with the top-tier competition after two victories, Norris admits to feeling incredibly nervous before every race.
With his second Formula 1 victory under his belt, Norris has emerged as the closest challenger to Max Verstappen for the 2024 world title. This new status brings a different kind of pressure for the McLaren driver. The British racer reveals in the press conference ahead of the Italian Grand Prix weekend that he has become accustomed to this pressure and nerves.
“I still get incredibly nervous before the qualification and race,” the McLaren driver confesses. “I really struggle to eat or drink anything. Nowadays, I can use it in a good way. There’s a lot of pressure. If you’re even a centimeter off (on the track), it goes wrong. That puts you under pressure. It’s a feeling you don’t encounter in other sports.”
Drivers sometimes lose a few kilos during a race, mainly due to excessive sweating. How does Norris ensure he doesn’t lose too much weight? “There are ways to deal with it,” the McLaren driver explains. “Some days I can eat more, some days I can’t eat anything. Liquids are then the best way to get something in.”
Two Kilos
However, staying hydrated during a race is also a challenge for the young driver. “I don’t drink during a race,” Norris reveals. “I often don’t have a water bottle in the car. I think I’ve only drunk once or twice during a race in my career. Probably that’s not the best thing to do, in Zandvoort I even lost two kilos. It’s not good for you, but I just don’t like drinking during the race.” Despite his preferences, the Brit has not fallen ill yet.
