“That gave people the perception that I wasn’t spending so much time working and trying as hard as other drivers, which is not true. So I’ve had to cut that down slightly and allow people to think I am a hard worker and be the best driver I can be.”
His hard work on the track is paying off as he leads team-mate Daniel Ricciardo by 42 points, with more than twice the amount as the Australian. It has also lifted him above Mercedes‘ Valtteri Bottas in the standings.
Though he spends less time streaming to his growing fanbase, his dedication at the McLaren factory in Woking has generated plenty of positives this season.
“I’m still 100% myself. In everything I do with my engineers and the team I’ve not changed one little bit, I’m exactly the same. It’s more just the perception you give to people rather than changing who I am or what I do or say. I feel like I’m a hard worker, it’s not like I just drive the car. I spend a lot of time here working with my engineers and try to motivate the team. Not many people see that often.”
This weekend, Formula 1 returns to the scene of Norris’s maiden F1 podium. With wet weather expected at some point over the race weekend in Austria, another brilliant performance isn’t out of the question.
A positive mentality and greater dedication to his work this season has reaped its rewards so far.
To read more about how Norris has used his experience to shape his approach and more about the McLaren team’s prospects for the future, make sure you grab your own August issue, available to buy now in stores and online.