Norris details intriguing process behind F1 driving style

McLaren’s Lando Norris has spoken out on a unique technique he is deploying behind the wheel in order to extract maximum performance from himself and his car.

Having spoken on the struggles he faces with his McLaren, particularly in qualifying, the British driver has stated that his ability to drive without thinking has “drifted away” from him in the past year.

Norris feels that due to being unable to drive the ground-effect era McLarens on the limit, he is having to alter his approach to driving – a technique that is hindering his ability to put a lap together on Saturdays.

“When I drive, I drive so subconsciously. The less I think of driving, the better I drive," he told media including RacingNews365.

“So, if I just go out, and I'm watching the grandstands, this is normally when I'm doing a better job – I’m naturally just going out and pushing.”

'It's not an easy thing to change'

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has highlighted in order to get the most out of the car in qualifying, Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri have to drive at 99 per cent - something the Briton agrees with, highlighting that “100 percent works one lap in 10.”

“When it does click, it clicks, and I can have a good quali,” Norris explained.

“I’ve just lost a little bit of that feeling over the last couple of years, of going out in quali and attacking, and putting in the laps that I want to put in.

“It's hard to make myself not push and not be attacking when you're competitive and want to push for a better lap.”

Having found the previous generation of cars easier to contend with, Norris has had to alter his approach to extracting the maximum from his car over one lap.

As the McLaren has developed since the start of last season, he believes he has lost the ability to drive in the way he would like to.

“When I had to try and change my subconscious and try and just chill, it's not an easy thing to change.

“That's something that just gets developed over the years. And it's not easy to just revert on. So yeah, I think it's just drifted away from me probably over the last year.”