Sitting down with his performance coach, Jon Malvern, McLaren driver Lando Norris opened up about how the duo managed his mental health for World Mental Health Day.

Celebrating his 100th race this weekend at the Austin Grand Prix along with George Russell and Charles Leclerc, Norris reflected on his past struggles since he started racing, paired with Malvern since 2014 and therefore offering keen insight into the driver.

Malvern described himself in the YouTube video as responsible for preparing Norris for races, physically and mentally so he is best shape when he appears on track. Malvern noted how much effort is needed to help the McLaren driver be the best he can be.

Norris, when asked about his Mental Health struggles, said: “I have probably have some away from track and ones that are out on track which are based upon the obvious performance.

“I hate losing and it’s not like I’m a bit sad, it can affect me for weeks. When I’m at home, a lot goes through my head as I overthink things too.”

While he admitted to struggling when he is not as competitive as he wishes, Norris stated he has built coping mechanisms with Malvern to help him.

Norris suggested the team is a real source of help with his mental issues and that he feels he can express his concerns with them which ultimately helps him overcome his thoughts.

He said: “You’re always trying to improve, so if it’s something about where I’m slow or struggling to understand things, I’ll be on the simulator or I’ll be with Will or Jose.

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“At home, it’s not as easy but hanging out with my friends and things like that are probably the best thing because it’s not easy for anyone to talk about or no one naturally wants to talk about it but it takes my mind off it.

“If I’m just chilling with my friends, we’re going to do things like go out on the water or go play golf to detach from the situation and for something to take your mind off things.”

Among the pressures he puts on himself, Norris was also keen to mention the pressures social media can have on one’s mental state. Since his first race, Norris has grown one of the largest current fan bases in Formula One.

Currently having 6.9 million followers on Instagram, being an F1 driver has become increasingly harder, needing to manage not only the media but also social media.

Norris said: “You’re in front of TV, in front of cameras, you’re doing interviews all the time, you say one thing wrong or in a way that you think is alright but someone interprets differently. I would never say anything which I feel is against someone in any way, I’m either saying a fact that people hate or I’m just giving my opinion which you don’t have to agree with.

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“When I see comments that I still read, I would say I’m much better at dealing with it now than I was a few years ago in 2019 and 2020 when there was so much going on in my first year in F1. I was always on social media.

“Now I use it a lot less than I did but at the same time, I see it differently. I care about what I do but I care less about certain people’s opinions, the people who are close to me and around me who know me, I respect their opinion a lot more than I respect someone else’s who doesn’t know me.”

Along with becoming more resilient to others and his own thoughts, Norris suggested a change in his nutrition and his sleep was also crucial to protecting himself from bad thoughts.

However, both he and Malvern noted this can be trickier than originally thought at certain times such as the Asian/Americas leg of the season in which jet lag can be a real factor in the driver’s performance both physically and mentally.

Asked at the end of the video for his advice to help those currently struggling with mental health, Norris said: “Find the people who comfort you and support you the most like your friends and then, once you get more confidence about it, maybe go to someone who knows more about it.”

McLaren also supplied links to the Mental Health Foundation and the World Health Organisation’s page on mental health to help anyone who is struggling.

If you are struggling with mental health and need someone to talk to, Samaritans offers 24/7 coverage 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at [email protected], or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

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