Lando Norris: “Not the type to draw plans on the comet”

Overall, are you satisfied with your first part of the season?

Some good results, points, no big mistakes, so yes, I'm quite satisfied. I made mistakes, but none cost me any points, positions or qualifying places. When I had opportunities to go to Q3, I always took them. Same for the points. I'm there when needed!

Charles Leclerc confessed that he was very intimidated when he joined Ferrari. Was it the same for you at McLaren ?

Not too much. The very first time, yes, but it was more than two years ago, when I joined the “Young Drivers” program. The number of people, the impressive facilities, it was hard not to be. Last year, I spent a lot of weekends with the team. I was in the garage, participating in briefings and debriefings. I was already part of the team, even if I didn't drive in races. I knew everyone and the transition happened naturally.

Is this why you seem more comfortable in F1 this season that in F2 last year ?

That's true, but I think it's a combination of things. In F2, you have to drive in a very specific way to preserve the tires. I couldn't drive naturally like the year before in F3. In F1, you can adapt the car to your control. In F2, it was impossible. It’s like that, there are cars that suit you better than others. I'm just much better in this type of car.

How do you deal with your growing notoriety?

That doesn't pose a problem to me. The difference is that the slightest deviation can be the subject of an article. Recently, some people searched my Twitter account for tweets from seven years ago. Tweets from twelve year olds, a little weird. You have to be a little more careful about what you do.

Talent is not always enough to break through. What more does it take to force the doors of a team like McLaren?

You have to be well surrounded. I am lucky to be able to count on a small group of people like my manager, who has advised me since 2012, or my physical trainer, who has supported me since 2014. They helped me take the right directions. Afterwards, it is a question of work, application, determination, and this from a very young age, from karting. I was alone with my father at the beginning. He helped me as much as he could during the beginning, because he didn't know much about it. We learned together.

Have the great McLaren drivers been examples?

No for the good reason that I don't even know their names! I didn't follow F1 when I was a child. Motor sports entered my life somewhat by chance, when I attended a karting race near Bristol (Super 1 National Kart Championship. Editor's note). The first Grands Prix I saw on TV must date from 2007, when Lewis (Hamilton) and Fernando (Alonso) were teammates at McLaren. Nothing destined me to become a pilot. I was a kid with a completely ordinary life, until the day I saw this kart race. My dad asked me if I wanted to try and that's how it went. When I started running, it was just for fun. It wasn't about finding the best people and the best teams. That came later.

Who were your heroes then, if those of F1 were unknown to you?

Valentino Rossi ! Probably because I watched the Motorcycle Grand Prix before the F1 Grand Prix. I thought he was cool, and I liked the colors of his blue and yellow helmet. I actually adopted them… I wanted to be like him!

Why the kart rather than the motorbike then…

Before I tried a kart for the first time, I had a small 50cc motorcycle. I liked it, but nothing more. I didn't want to be on it every day, unlike the kart.

You just told us that your interest in motorsport was born the year Hamilton debuted in F1. Did you become a fan of Lewis afterwards?

He's someone I enjoyed watching. I never would have imagined finding myself one day on the track with him, having him as a competitor. Same thing with Fernando (Alonso). It felt strange to be his teammate at the 24 Hours of Daytona (2018. Editor’s note). It's amazing to be on the track with the drivers you've seen on TV. Like Carlos (Sainz).

Lewis has had a long relationship with McLaren. Do you ever compare yourself to him?

No, it was a different time. He was winning races, which we are not capable of right now. The situation is very different. Maybe one day it will be possible to make comparisons, but not now. When he arrived, McLaren was a top team, while today it is trying to become one again.

Because McLaren is in a period of reconstruction, do you believe you are in the right place at the right time?

It's hard to say. I'm happy to be where I am. I like this stable, the atmosphere that reigns there, the dynamic that is there.

With George Russell, you are seen as Lewis's successors. Does that make you a little dizzy?

It's too abstract at the moment. Will we be in a position to win races when he retires? Let's hope so. I'm not the type to draw plans from the comet. I take things as they come, I think race by race. There is a lot of expectation for us, but putting on the boots of such a champion is impossible. We will make the careers we make, and they will inevitably be different from ours. For now, I'm trying to do the best I can with what I have in my hands.

Already feel the influence of Andreas Seidl, your new Team Principal. ?

Clairement, oui ! Il a déjà un gros impact sur l’écurie. Sachant ce qu’il a réussi avec Porsche par le passé, ce n’est pas une surprise, mais tout de même. Andreas a une idée très claire de la façon d’amener le team où il doit aller, et ça renforce le climat de confiance générale.

While waiting to establish yourself in the real world, you have just established yourself with Max Verstappen and two other teammates at the 24 Hours of Spa iRacing…

A difficult victory to achieve, because the competition was tough, but a great experience. I've always loved sim races and doing this with Max was quite fun. We are good friends in life. It's not a victory on the track, but it's always nice to fight for the victory. And then, a victory is a victory (laughs). It's nice to do something different, and be successful.

Have simulators and e-games played an important role in your preparation?

The simulator, yes. I play e-gaming at home for fun. It allows me to drive cars other than F1, and it relaxes me.