Lando Norris says his early struggles in F1 have benefitted him mentally in this year’s title race as he looks to catch Max Verstappen in the championship.

Norris, who is 62 points behind Verstappen with eight events remaining, is experiencing his first F1 title fight after McLaren’s surge in form since the Miami Grand Prix in May.

The 24-year-old joined McLaren in 2019 as a teenager and has previously revealed he was “depressed a lot of the time” during his rookie season.

After 110 races, Norris finally won his maiden Grand Prix this year in Miami and is Verstappen’s closest challenger ahead of next weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

“I think because I struggled a lot with this [pressure] when I started in Formula 1, my first, second year and into my third, because I struggled with it so much back then, I feel like I learned pretty well how to handle it,” said Norris at the Italian Grand Prix last week.

“That’s also helped me even in the position that I am now. I know I’m maybe not directly in the fight of a championship where I’m neck and neck with Max, but just dealing with more questions and the pressure of everyone thinking that I have to deliver every single weekend, also knowing myself that I have to deliver every single weekend.

“But I think because I struggled a bit with it or quite a bit with it in the past, I feel like I’m able to deal with it in a much better way now. And therefore, it doesn’t have much of an effect. There still is. And I know there’s more pressure.

“The team are probably going to feel a little bit more pressure and externally, there will be more pressure on me. But it’s also up to me to deal with it in the way that I feel best.

“At the same time, therefore, I don’t really feel it that much. I’m comfortable that I just have to go out and drive. That’s all I can do really, not think about these external things. The place I am now, fighting for wins and fighting in the championship, honestly I feel like it’s another weekend.”

Norris: I barely eat on Sundays

Norris has won two races this year and admitted he should be closer to Verstappen in the championship, had he taken his opportunities in the summer, having had a car capable of winning at Canada, Spain, Silverstone and Hungary.

Most recently, he was overtaken by McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri on the opening lap of the Italian Grand Prix and spent the rest of the race playing catch up.

It was the fifth time Norris started from pole position this season but didn’t lead after lap 1, so some critics have questioned his ability at high pressure moments such as the first lap of a race.

“I don’t think of it at all. I think there’s always pressure. I still get so nervous for qualifying,” he said.

“For the races, I still get just as excited and just as nervous. I don’t eat, I barely eat anything on Sundays. I struggle to drink anything on Sundays, just because of nerves and pressure.

“But it’s how you turn that into a positive thing, how do you not let it affect you in a bad way and how can you actually use it in a good way to help you focus on the correct things and so on.

“I’m sure I do now and probably will forever, you know, when you enter Q3 or any qualifying lap when you have to go out and deliver.

“I know it gives you butterflies every time because there’s so much nerves, so much pressure. And if you do one thing, break centimetres or a metre too late or you turn in the wrong timing or whatever it is, finished, game over.

“The knowledge of that just puts you under a very tense feeling. But also, it’s an amazing feeling at the same time that I don’t feel like maybe you can replicate in many other sports and many other things. I’m not too sure. I still get nervous, and I probably will forever get nervous.”

Norris: I have changed a lot since I started F1

Norris is one of the most popular drivers on the grid, particularly with F1’s younger audience.

His personality outside of the car is something people can relate to but the British driver says he’s changed in recent years.

“I think it’s evident, and I feel within myself, I feel like I have changed a lot since I’ve come into Formula 1,” he explained.

“I don’t know whether people want to say it’s in good ways or bad ways or whatever. I think in the end of the day, the main thing is I’m still myself.

“I’m happy to disappoint people and give my own opinion, whether it’s right or wrong sometimes. I almost cared, I think, too much when I came into Formula 1, and not in a bad way, but just I cared almost more about other people’s opinions and thoughts rather than just doing my own stuff and cracking on and being myself.

“Not that I ever wanted to be someone different or do something different, but I just feel like over time and with pressure and focus on doing the job I have to do, I just found better balances of life and I probably enjoy my time away from the track more now.

“Probably in a different way to what I did back then, but the best way is just a better balance of life, whether I’m here working and I’m focused on doing what I want to do, which is win and to do the best job I can for my team.

“The balance of going home and being able to disconnect and just enjoy my personal life and days at home where I can relax and do something else. And I know that’ll change.

“I feel like when I see pictures and videos of who I was and what I did, even 2019, 2020, ’21, I do look at myself and see things and I’m like, ‘oh, I was very different back then to how I am now’.

“But at the end of the day, my focus and my job that I’m here to do has remained the same. So whether I laugh more or laugh less or make jokes more or less, that’s just how I’ve changed over the years.

“But I still love what I do, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. And I still enjoy my time, but I think just in different ways. I get to share it more with my team. And I just learned how to treat Formula 1 and my job more as a focus and learn how to then switch off in a better way when I go back home.”

Formula 1 leaves mainland Europe for Baku and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 13-15, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime