Lando Norris reveals trick to silencing 'worst critic' thoughts

Lando Norris has explained the tricks he uses to keep his inner critical thoughts at bay through periods of difficulty in F1.

The McLaren driver has become renowned for being highly critical of himself, even when making the smallest of mistakes. Norris, who has openly revealed to struggling with mental issues in the past, openly wears his heart on his sleeve.

Whilst many have perceived Norris' willingness to express himself in front of the media to explain what may have gone wrong in a qualifying session or a grand prix, he feels a degree of freedom in opening up and coming clean.

Suggested to Norris that, ultimately, his worst critic is himself, and asked how he shuts up such intrusive thoughts, he replied: "It’s tricky. Sometimes, you don’t, even when you want to be thinking of all the positives and things like that.

"I think what I’ve learned more to do is turn those thoughts into productive things. Turn them into ways to improve, to understand things. Turn them into positive attributes, I guess, rather than letting them bring me down as much.

"I don’t know if it’s all normal, but I’m sure a lot of people have similar things. Everyone has those great days. Everyone has bad days. But yeah, I don’t need other people to tell me things."

Norris inner circle vital

Norris insists he relies on his inner circle of those he can trust to put him straight, and that anything else he may hear is outside noise, which he tries to block out and not let it affect him.

"I have my own team, my own people around me who tell me when I’m doing good and when I’m not, and that’s all I really need," he said. 

"I don’t need other people, and I don’t need to listen or look at anything else. I only care about those people who are closest to me, who understand me and know me.

"But also, having them around, having a good team around me, is probably one of the most important things because I still love those trickier days.

"The main thing is understanding them and learning how to turn them into productive, positive things."