Lando Norris says recommendation from F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel and MotoGP champion Casey Stoner helped him understand his dream.
Norris completed third within the tense closing race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, profitable the three-way title race and clinching his first world championship.
The 26-year-old Briton beat Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen by two factors and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by 13 factors on the finish of a dynamic 24-round marketing campaign.
Norris revealed that four-time F1 world champion Vettel and two-time MotoGP champion Stoner have been in contact to present him some important knowledge.
“I’ve had nice phrases and nice texts and conversations with nice folks, individuals who have gained world championships in several sports activities, folks like Lewis and Seb. Lots of people do not know that I speak to Seb about loads of issues,” Norris advised F1.com.
“Lots of people, (former MotoGP champion Casey) Stoner, helped me once I wanted it most, by sending little texts and saying, ‘Suppose this, imagine in your self, do that, do this.’
“After we gained the championship by two factors, I’d positively say that the second of belief from the folks round me gave me these two factors. That is why I’ve to thank everybody round me, as a result of two factors are what you want.”
Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton additionally supplied recommendation to Norris forward of the title showdown.
Norris “needed to do a greater job” than ever earlier than.
Norris has made a spectacular restoration from his retirement on the Dutch Grand Prix, which put his F1 title in jeopardy.
A disastrous DNF at Zandvoort left Norris 34 factors behind Piastri with 9 races remaining, however he was in glorious kind to show the title race round.
“I actually thought my life was going to be very tough, and it was from that time on,” Norris mentioned of what occurred within the Netherlands.
“I needed to do a greater job than I’ve ever performed earlier than. I needed to begin profitable loads of races. I at all times needed to beat my teammates. I at all times needed to beat everybody. I at all times needed to beat my teammates.”
“At that time, I felt prefer it was very powerful. At that time, I might barely beat him on the weekend.
“Whether or not it is on the simulator or right here on the observe, spending time with the engineers, understanding the challenges, digging deeper than ever, attempting to be extra environment friendly, bringing in additional folks from round us wherever we’re, it helped me perceive myself and perceive how I can get extra out of myself, how I can get extra out of the folks round me, how we are able to work collectively higher as a crew.”
“All these little issues, loads of little issues that nobody else can see and even learn about, apart from me and my crew. The crew round me has labored extraordinarily onerous to realize what we now have in the present day.”
“It is one thing that I do not want different folks to know or care about, however the onerous work that my group has put in, the onerous work, the onerous work, the onerous work, the onerous work, the onerous work, methods to make Lando a greater particular person, a greater driver, methods to make him come from 34 factors right down to win the championship, that is what I do know.
“All that work paid off and it made me so completely happy on the time. I used to be like, rattling, I am truly doing it, I am doing what I am purported to do. As a result of one factor is simply pondering or believing, and the subsequent factor is definitely going out and doing it. That is my job, and I could not have performed it with out the folks round me.”
