Lando Norris has candidly shared that the 2021 Russian Grand Prix remains one of the most challenging moments in his career, as he struggled to come to terms with Lewis Hamilton’s victory.
The race in Sochi nearly two years ago marked Norris’s closest encounter with a Grand Prix win.
Initially on course for a seemingly assured victory, Norris encountered an unexpected obstacle when the weather conditions took a turn.
Remaining on slick tires for one lap too long, the Briton lost control of his car and slipped off the track.
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Helplessly watching Hamilton speed past him to claim the race win, Norris ultimately finished in seventh place.
When discussing how he deals with setbacks, Norris pointed to the Russian Grand Prix as a prime example.
“It depends on the reason for the result,” he explained during the Sky Sports F1 podcast.
“If it’s entirely my fault, it takes a lot longer to recover.
“If it’s due to my mistake, whether it be a crash, spin, or penalty, if it’s 100 percent on me or even 50 percent, it feels much worse than when it’s due to factors like lacking pace in the car.
“So, it varies based on the circumstances we face.”
Norris acknowledged that the 2021 Russian Grand Prix proved to be particularly difficult to move on from, not only due to the incident itself but also due to the near-victory that slipped through his fingers.
Reflecting on his mindset, he stated: “Each situation has its own impact, but I have improved significantly since then.
“I used to struggle more in 2019 and 2020. Now, I approach setbacks with a constructive mindset.
“I analyse what went wrong, how to rectify it, and how to improve in the face of challenges. It’s about learning from the experience and moving forward.”
As Norris continues to mature as a driver, his ability to cope with setbacks has evolved.
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Despite the lingering disappointment from the Russian Grand Prix, he has developed a more resilient outlook, emphasising personal growth and using setbacks as opportunities for improvement.
“So it depends on the situation of how things happen but I’m a lot better now than what I was. I used to struggle probably a lot more back in ’19, back in ’20,” Norris said.
“Now I guess I just look at it in a constructive way of learning what went wrong? How can you fix it? How can you be better at whatever the problem was? And just try and move on from that.”