Lando Norris elaborates on ‘talking crap’ remark as journalist question prompts immediate example

Lando Norris has elaborated on his comments about people who “talk crap” about him, offering an immediate example during the post-race press conference.

The British driver put in an assured display to take victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, extending his championship lead to 24 points with three race weekends to go.

Lando Norris on blocking out the noise

After a difficult season as a title challenger in F1 2024, and having had a slow start to the current season relative to McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, Norris has come into a rich vein of form in recent races to deliver back-to-back victories in Mexico and Brazil right as the championship pressure has ramped up.

His Brazil drive was in stark contrast to his wilting drive at the same track in 2024, which proved a nail in the coffin for his title bid last year.

Norris is well known for wearing his heart on his sleeve and for his self-effacing nature, with this attitude largely seen as a weakness by many.

Speaking immediately after his win, when asked by interviewer Jolyon Palmer about why he feels he’s delivering so strongly at the tail end of the championship, he said he is “ignoring everyone that talks crap about you and just focus on yourself.”

Shortly after, Norris appeared before the media in the FIA press conference, where he was asked to elaborate on this sentiment and who he was aiming that message towards.

“Honestly, nothing in particular, but yeah, there are always people out there who try to bring you down a little bit,” he said.

“I guess it’s quite normal, I think, but yeah, just when you’re on a big stage, there are a lot of people who talk and then try and say things to try and influence other people to have effects.

“Even cheers and the… not cheers, yeah, you still hear it, and it’s not the nicest thing, but I think it’s something I’ve done well over the last few months.”

While some of his rivals, like, for example, Max Verstappen, appear less concerned about being seen as likable or about their public image, Norris said that facet of his personality hasn’t changed; he still deeply cares about being seen as an affable personality, and this desire, he admitted, could have held him back earlier in the year.

“I care a lot about, let’s say, people’s perspective, and how I’m portrayed and things in the media,” he said.

“I probably cared too much, even at the beginning of the year. I think I cared too much, and it was probably affecting me in not the best ways, and I just learned to deal with those things better.

“Not by not caring because I still think I still always want to have a good impression, and I never want to be rude or do those things, but I’ll always try and make my point and say what I believe in, because I think that’s one of the things I’ve learned the most, is just to be true to yourself and have confidence in yourself, believe in yourself and speak your mind.

“So it’s more just keeping my head down and concentrating on myself.”

More from the Brazilian Grand Prix

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Lando Norris given immediate opportunity to showcase mental fortitude

An example of Norris’ ability to deal with the noise was perhaps offered during the very same press conference, when a journalist suggested that, following Norris’ belief that he and McLaren are not the favourites for Las Vegas, he should think and race with a different mindset – that of a protagonist in the title chase.

“No, I can say what I want. I can think what I want,”  a clearly irked Norris replied.

“I always try and be as honest as I can be; if I don’t think we’re going to be quick, I don’t think we’re going to be quick.

“I’m not saying I’m going to be 10th, I’m just saying I think it’s going to be difficult to win. We were a long way off. Just go and look at the data from last year. Look at the racetrace. We were miles off.

“There’s been plenty of races where we’ve not been quick enough this year. So it’s not like we’ve won every single race.

“You’re expecting me to say those things. I’m just giving my opinion on do I think it’s going to be as easy.

“I won last weekend by 30 seconds, like very, very easy. I won today by pushing a lot more, only 10 seconds, and Max was probably the quickest out on track today.

“Do I think that, at a track that we’ve never been good at, we’ve never been good in Vegas, so why am I going to think, ‘Yeah, it’s going to be fine, whatever’.

“I’m giving my opinion. I’m giving my honest opinion on how I think we’re going to be.

“We’ve never been good there, so I’m not the most confident about going into this race. Maybe I’ll win, then we’ll see.

“But I’m not going to lie and say, ‘Yeah, I’m very confident, and I think it’s going to be an easy weekend’, because I don’t think that’s how it’s going to be.

“So no, you’re very right to have your own opinion on what you think I should say and what I should not say, and whatever. But I’ll do what I like.”

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