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Norris spills on his mindset behind drivers’ title win in new admission

Norris spills on his mindset behind drivers’ title win in new admission
Lando Norris has opened up about his mindset ahead of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, admitting he had expected the race to be far more chaotic than it ultimately was.

“I thought it would be a bit too chaotic.”

– Lando Norris

The McLaren driver, who secured the drivers’ championship at Yas Marina, reflected on the mix of nerves and calm he experienced in the lead-up to the biggest race of his career.

“The week leading up to the biggest race of my life, I didn’t know how to feel, I didn’t know how to act, I didn’t know how I was meant to be,” he said via his YouTube channel.

“I didn’t know if I was meant to be really excited or scared. I thought I’d be pretty nervous, because I do get nervous at every race, every qualifying session – that’s a known thing,” Norris continued.

Lando Norris celebrates winning the drivers’ championship – Photo: RacePictures

Despite anticipating chaos, Norris described a surprising sense of composure once he got into the car.

“I thought it would be a bit too chaotic. Getting in the car, I actually felt pretty ready. I felt very calm. Just another day in the office. I felt ready. I still knew in my head, this is it, and the time had come,” he added.

The 2025 drivers’ championship witnessed Norris win the title by two points ahead of Max Verstappen and 13 points ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.

Norris required a podium finish – one which he achieved on the night – to become the first British driver since Lewis Hamilton to taste drivers’ title success.

Norris warned against resting on his laurels

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has warned Norris against resting on his laurels, stressing he expects Verstappen to roar back into a championship fight after narrowly missing out on the 2025 title.
The three-time race winner also ranked Norris among the best world champions in F1 history.

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