\n<\/p>\n
Norris says he’s “seen a lot of photos over the last 12 hours; a lot of little me”.<\/p>\n
One of them is of him doing donuts in a kart when he was still a small boy. What would he tell little Lando if he could talk to him now?<\/p>\n
“Probably just to have a bit more belief in myself,” he says, “because it’s something I never really had when I was younger. It’s something I always lacked.<\/p>\n
“In that video, I was so small. I was never the big kid or never the aggressive one, that kind of thing. I’m still the same, I think, now. I would just get my elbows out a little bit more. That’s probably my only thing.”<\/p>\n
This sort of vulnerability is Norris’ trademark. It was evident after the race, too, when he said he was “proud that I’ve proved myself wrong”.<\/p>\n
I ask what he meant, and he says it was a reference to his difficult first part of the season, when his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri took the initiative, and the championship lead, and had won four races before Norris had taken his second.<\/p>\n
By the time of the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August, Piastri had a 34-point lead over Norris and seemed a certain bet for the title, only for Norris to rally and overhaul it all.<\/p>\n
“When Oscar was doing a better job than me and I wasn’t doing a great job, I was like, ‘Well, you know, maybe they’re just a bit better. Maybe they can just be more consistent, get more out of the car,'” Norris says.<\/p>\n
“I just never thought at times that it was possible. So for me to then do that for myself, to kind of go, ‘You’re wrong, you can do it,’ is a pretty incredible feeling to have for yourself.<\/p>\n
“I wouldn’t say I’m a very selfish person, but I’ve also learned at times I almost have to be more selfish with some of these feelings and thoughts. I need that to almost make me a better and stronger driver.<\/p>\n
“It’s just nice to almost make myself have more confidence. But I often only do that when I prove it to myself. I’ve always had that thought of, ‘Oh, the next step is such a big leap. Am I ever going to be able to perform at the level I need to perform at?’ I have more doubts than positive thoughts at those times.<\/p>\n
“But I’ve also changed a lot this season. I also feel through the year I’ve been able to be in a much better place, be a lot more confident in myself, change my whole approach and mentality.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n