Lando Norris reflects on a dominant weekend in São Paulo. The British driver secured pole position twice – both in the sprint race and the main race – and crossed the finish line first on both occasions. This has solidified his lead in the championship. While he made costly mistakes at the start of the season and was outperformed by teammate Oscar Piastri, Norris now states that he is primarily focused on himself – and with success.
In recent Grand Prix, Norris has been in top form. He finished on the podium four times in a row and twice consecutively took home the maximum number of points. In the run-up to the season finale – the final trio of races in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi – he has a 24-point lead over Piastri in the World Championship. However, earlier this year, the Australian often had the upper hand. After his victory in São Paulo, Norris explained what has changed.
“I ignore anyone who talks nonsense,” Norris laughed on the grid after the race. He was later asked to elaborate during the official FIA press conference. “There are always people trying to bring you down,” said an open-hearted Norris. “That’s very normal. When you’re on a big stage, many people have something to say about you – and sometimes they try to influence the opinions of others.”
Handling Criticism
“The cheers and the boos – you still hear them,” he continued. Both in Mexico City and in São Paulo, Lando Norris was met with a chorus of boos following his victory. “It’s not the most enjoyable thing. But I think I’ve handled such things well over the past few months. Of course, I value other people’s opinions and how I’m portrayed in the media,” he emphasized. “I probably cared too much about it, especially at the beginning of the year. That didn’t have a good influence. But I’ve learned to deal with it.”
“That doesn’t mean I give in to it,” he said emphatically. “I still want to make a good impression. I never want to come across as rude or anything like that, but at the same time, I want to be able to make my point and stand for what I believe in. That’s been a valuable lesson; staying true to yourself, maintaining self-confidence, and daring to speak your mind. In the end, it’s about keeping your head in the game and focusing on yourself.”
