Lando Norris names Max Verstappen desire despite new F1 champion status

Lando Norris has expressed a wish to possess "a little bit more" of what drives Max Verstappen, despite taking over from the Red Bull driver as F1's newest champion.

At the age of just 26, Norris achieved what he has described as his "life goal" in claiming the F1 drivers' title, stating that if he never wins another, he will be "so happy" and it will be something he will "forever" take with him.

It begs the question as to 'what next?' for the Briton, and whether he possesses the drive and ambition to become a serial winner, like four-time champion Verstappen, or record-holding seven-time champions Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

The McLaren driver is adamant he has "many more years in Formula 1", and that he "will try and get as many more championships as possible".

Whilst naturally conceding to being unable to assess the thoughts of the illustrious trio, when it comes to a peer like Verstappen, he still feels there is more he can do.

"It's quite clear that I have a different mentality and a different approach to, say, what Max says. Good or bad? You decide," said Norris, speaking to select media, including RacingNews365.

"There are a lot of things that I still admire in Max, and I wish I had a little bit more of that, here and there, but I'm always trying to improve my things. I know there are still areas where I am not at the level I need to be, and it's still a good level.

"But when you're fighting these guys, you need to be close to perfection. So there are still plenty of things I want to work on, to be better at, but the baseline level of where I'm at now is already pretty good."

Norris' Finland trip

Norris insists that despite becoming champion last season, beating Verstappen by just two points, his motivation to win remains undiluted. There is one factor that has changed, however.

He added: "If anything, I just have more confidence.

"I've said in interviews, and stuff in the past, that I'm very much a guy who has to see something to believe it, especially when it has anything to do with myself.

"Did I believe I could be on pole for the first time, or win a race? When I've done it, I've gone, 'Ah! I can do it'. For whatever reason, that's how I've thought and believed.

"I certainly got better at a lot of things last year, on mental preparation, a mental state, dealing with the good times and bad times, and all of them in between.

"But I certainly have to find my own way, and not disregard what other people have done in the past, but just understand what is always going to motivate me.

"A lot of my motivation is not picturing myself on the top step of a podium or holding another trophy. A lot of it is being with the team, allowing them to have the trophies, to party, celebrate and that kind of thing.

"Honestly, I'm not too fussed about how other people have thought about stuff, but my motivation is just as high to try and win again and do my team proud."

Reflecting on his triumph and the aftermath, there is one factor Norris would change, and that is he did not have enough time over the considerably shortened off-season to enjoy his success.

"It [the winter break] was short," he said: "Before you knew it, it was already New Year. Up until new year, I spent a good amount of time my friends, disconnecting and being away.

"I did my yearly Finland trip, just getting away from people, just me and some of my mates. We get away to a little town that's nice and quiet, and just get back to training. I got back to training earlier than I have done any other year.

"It's certainly not like I've enjoyed everything a lot more than what I've done in the past, I certainly feel more relaxed in many ways, and I enjoyed it.

"I wish I just had a couple more weeks just to take everything in and allow my body and my mind to realise what we achieved and what I achieved last year."