During the 2025 Formula 1 season, McLaren CEO Zak Brown shared insights into Lando Norris’s mental development off the track, emphasizing how it has contributed to his strong position in the championship. As F1 takes a summer break, Norris holds second place in the title race, trailing teammate Oscar Piastri by just nine points after 14 rounds, having won five races so far this year.

Norris has been engaged in a fierce intra-team rivalry with Piastri, starting the season with a commanding victory from pole position in Australia. More recently, he has claimed three wins in four races, narrowly finishing second behind Piastri in Belgium. Despite a costly error in Canada that eliminated him from the race and lost him 10 championship points, Norris’s stronger mindset has helped him move past such setbacks more quickly. Zak Brown pointed out this shift in attitude, noting the contrast with previous seasons.

Stronger Mindset Marks a Turning Point for Norris

Zak Brown revealed that in the past, incidents like the Canadian crash might have weighed heavily on Norris, but that has changed significantly. Brown told the American magazine Racer,

“I think Lando’s in a great place,”

highlighting the newfound stability in Norris’s approach. He added that critics who doubted Norris’s ability to convert pole positions into race wins are now seeing a different reality, as Norris has claimed four of the last five wins starting from pole.

“So I think this kind of narrative around Lando is not accurate today.”

Norris had come under scrutiny in 2024 when Max Verstappen dominated the championship, with Piastri seen as mentally tougher in pressure moments. Norris’s own self-critical remarks at times further fueled doubts about his resilience. However, Brown noted that in 2025, Norris has developed a healthier reaction to pressure and mistakes.

Brown described Norris as open and expressive with his emotions, adding,

“He’s open, kind of wears his emotions on his sleeve, so to speak,”

and remarked,

“I think everyone’s different, but I think he’s in a great place. I’ve never seen him in a better place.”

When reflecting on Norris’s qualifying performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Brown said,

“I think the Lando of a year ago maybe would have been more critical on himself,”

but praised his current form, commenting,

“He’s doing an awesome job. So, no, I think that is much like the he can’t win from pole stat. Now that he’s won four or five races from pole, no one seems to be talking about that.”

Norris’s Own Reflections on His Mental Approach

Lando Norris has openly discussed his mental challenges and his efforts to improve. After a Bahrain Grand Prix dominated by Piastri, Norris admitted that he tends to fixate on negative aspects more than positive ones. Speaking in Saudi Arabia, he explained that balancing his critical nature with maintaining confidence is an ongoing process.

“It’s a balance, I think I’m clearly still trying to improve on,”

he said, elaborating that he had to consciously remind himself of his achievements rather than dwell only on setbacks. Norris reflected,

“I do think of the bad stuff, the negative things, more than I think of the positives. I have to get reminded that I’m leading the championship and that I won the first race and things like that, and I’ve been on the podium every race. I have to get reminded of them rather than just being able to remind myself.”

He acknowledged the toughness and high standards he sets for himself have helped him reach Formula 1 and compete for a world title, but also recognized that his focus on negatives sometimes hinders him:

“I know I’m hard and I know I’m tough on myself, but for 95 per cent of it, I think it’s a good thing. I think it’s what makes me who I am and makes me have a chance in Formula 1 and be with McLaren and be fighting for a world championship.”

“I accept that there’s probably the last few per cent which can be a very important few per cent where I probably say too many negatives and that gets into my own head and I don’t think of the positives as much as I should.”

He concluded by stressing the main area for improvement:

“I probably just don’t remind myself enough of [the positives] and that’s probably something, the main area I would say that I need to improve on.”

Implications for the Championship Battle

Lando Norris’s growth in mental resilience has transformed his approach to the 2025 F1 season, allowing him to push his McLaren teammate harder and sustain his challenge for the title. Zak Brown’s comments underline how Norris’s ability to rebound from errors and maintain confidence has helped rewrite previous doubts about his composure under pressure.

With the season resuming after the summer break, Norris’s improved mindset and recent winning streak position him strongly to contest the championship. This development not only enhances his prospects but also signals McLaren’s continued rise as a serious contender in Formula 1’s ongoing title fight.