McLaren driver Lando Norris reveals when he felt the most pressure during his Formula One career.
The Brit has had some pressure-cooker moments during his time in F1. His recent successes include winning his first race in Miami last season and winning his home Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Along with the highs have been significant lows. McLaren’s misjudged weather strategy saw him lose what would have been his first race in Sochi 2021, and he crashed with Max Verstappen on numerous occasions last season to rule him out of the title fight.
These moments have turned Norris into one of the best drivers on the F1 grid. But among these is one that stands out.
Lando Norris said he felt the most pressure in his career at Abu Dhabi last season
While Norris ruled himself out of the fight for the Drivers’ Championship last season, McLaren were engaged in a dramatic Constructors’ Championship battle with Ferrari that came down to the wire.
They entered the final race at Abu Dhabi in need of a race win in order to guarantee they beat Ferrari to the title. And when Oscar Piastri crashed with Verstappen at turn one, all the pressure was heaped on Norris.
Speaking on McLaren’s YouTube, he spoke about how he felt in that moment.
He said, “The time when, deep down, there was the most pressure was Abu Dhabi last season. Because I had the whole team on my shoulders at that point – a lot of people depending on you to get the Championship, or not.
“I could either make them very happy, or not as happy, so I knew I had to deliver. It wrote a cool story, so it was a pleasure to be a part of it.”
McLaren started the season out of contention for the title. It looked like Red Bull would run away with it for the third straight season. But instead they developed through the course of the season to win their first championship since 1998, led by Norris.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fight in a pressure-filled title battle
Norris won’t feel the pressure in the Constructors this season. They’ve already pretty much wrapped it up at the midway point. But chances are, if Norris were asked the same question in six months’ time, his answer would change.
He is locked in the most intense title battle since Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen’s duel in 2021, with his teammate Piastri. Piastri has the edge over Norris, leading all drivers going into the Belgium Grand Prix and showing remarkable consistency in F1, but Norris is breathing down his neck after back-to-back wins.
| Position | Drivers' Championship | Points |
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | 234 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | 226 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | 165 |
Norris has already stumbled under the pressure of this fight, crashing into the back of Piastri in Canada. He bounced back superbly in Austria and Silverstone, however.
The Drivers’ Championship looks like it’s going down to the wire. If it isn’t decided by the final race of the season, and that looks likely, then Norris will be tested under the most pressure any driver can feel.