09/08/2025 09:15
Lando Norris has shared his "regret" at pushing too hard earlier in
the F1 season, something that drew mistakes out of the McLaren
driver. The Briton sits just nine points behind team-mate Oscar
Piastri at the summer break, but numerous high-profile errors
earlier in the campaign put the nine-time grand prix winner on the
back foot. He has since recovered his form, securing three
victories in the past four rounds, and he out-scored the Australian
over the second half of the first 'half' to the season (rounds
seven to 14). However, Norris believes he is - and has sometimes
been - guilty of trying to extract too much from himself and his
MCL39, arguing that at points "99 percent, even 95 percent, would
have been fine" to get the job done. When asked if less than 100
percent commitment can be enough to triumph over Piastri and claim
his first F1 drivers' championship, Norris reflected on how
attempting to be on the limit at all times cost him earlier in the
season. "It can be a mix," the 25-year-old replied to media,
including RacingNews365. "There's even some times this year when 99
percent, even 95 percent, would have been fine. "Some of my
mistakes from earlier on in the season are trying to... I try and
perform at 101%. "Sometimes, that's amazing. Sometimes that's, I
think, as good as you can get. That's what I feel is the optimum of
what I, and I think a driver, can achieve at times. "I do believe
that, but also [there are] times I should drive at 95 percent, or
even 90 percent, and that's still enough to be on pole, P2
sometimes." Having made an error during the final part of
qualifying in Bahrain that saw him start sixth, with Piastri on
pole, he followed that mistake up a week later, in Saudi Arabia,
when a heavy Q3 crash prevented him from setting a lap time at all.
He could only recover to third in Sakhir and fourth at the Jeddah
Corniche Circuit whilst his team-mate won both. They preceded the
most egregious misjudgement, which came whilst fighting for Piastri
for fourth late on during the Canadian Grand Prix, colliding with
the sister car and throwing away 10 points. Those would have seen
Norris head into the shutdown with a one-point advantage in the F1
drivers' standings. "I do regret trying to be so good at the
beginning part of the season," the McLaren driver admitted. "And I
think now, already, I sometimes just settle for a 90, 95 percent
lap - and that's still good enough."
