F1 champion sees Lando Norris change: 'He was being picked apart'

1996 F1 champion Damon Hill has stated Lando Norris has recovered following early-season weakness behind the wheel at McLaren.

The 25-year-old won the opening round of the campaign in Australia before enduring a more challenging period at the squad.

Team-mate Oscar Piastri took an impressive step forward to win four out of the following five races and take the lead of the drivers' championship.

Hill has suggested Piastri's upturn in form took Norris by surprise, leading to his six-race streak of win-less races.

“I think he must have had a little bit of self-reflection,” Hill told the BBC Chequered Flag podcast. 

“He was being a little bit picked apart by the commentators, and I have to say, I was one of them.

“We saw weakness, we saw a fragility or what we perceived as fragility in Lando.  

“I think he was a little bit shocked that Oscar had come out fighting quite as well as he had done, and took the shine off some of Lando's undeniable talent and position in that team and also in the sport.

“[Last] weekend, he's put all that right. He's shown 'this is what I can do on a perfect weekend'.”

F1 title fight will come down to 'mind games'

Norris returned to the top step of the podium last time out at the Monaco Grand Prix as he converted his pole position to victory.

The Briton led the way at a Monaco race that saw the introduction of two mandatory pit stops, a rule change Norris described as “scary” will leading.

Ultimately, his pole position effort heavily helped his quest for victory around a Monaco track that has few overtaking opportunities.

As the title battle heats up, Hill stated it keeping cool mentally will be the key to triumphing at the end of the season.

“He outqualified Charles [Leclerc] by one-tenth of a second,” Hill added. “That doesn't sound very much, but it's actually quite a big margin. 

“To Oscar, it's never been more than a couple of hundredths. The differences are tiny and it will come down to a mind game. 

“It will come down to which driver is on his top form at every race. There's a long way to go yet.”