Lando Norris's mental health stand should change F1

Going back even just a few years ago, the topic of mental health, particularly amongst our sporting heroes, was virtually taboo, a hidden inner secret that was kept locked inside, primarily out of shame and also for fear of ridicule and reprisals should they dare to speak of the problems they were facing.

A few years on and the subject is now in the mainstream, perhaps still doubted by some, but at least there is wider acceptance and a level of comprehension that was almost non-existent not so long ago.

Trackback two years ago and put yourself in the shoes of a 19-year-old Lando Norris who seemingly had the world at his feet after agreeing on a deal with one of F1's storied teams in McLaren.

For any young driver harbouring dreams of reaching motorsport's promised land, Norris' rapid rise through the junior formulae was the stuff of dreams, of inspiration and aspiration.

For Norris, however, such ascension came with a heavy price. Yes, there was joy, quite naturally, albeit riddled with doubts and question marks that weighed heavy on his shoulders and burdened his mind throughout his rookie season.

This is where that different form of bravery applies because Norris has revealed to feeling depressed at times such was the mental anguish he was enduring.

It requires a certain form of valour to dig deep into oneself and disclose such feelings, particularly in the world of Formula 1 where old-fashioned bravado, spawned by the rose-tinted view of the heroes of yesteryear, still reside.

Norris is arguably fortunate to be living and driving in an era where mental health is no longer frowned upon.

In the decades beforehand, such thoughts and feelings would likely have consumed him with no one to reach out to, and his F1 career would have been over before it had even started.

Whoever was the first person Norris spoke to, or at least the first to understand him and recognise he required help, they were his first step towards him freeing his mind and becoming the driver we see today that many believe is showing the talent that will one day see him crowned world champion.

I raise this subject because while Norris has previously touched on his issues, it has certainly not been to the extent recently aired in the daytime chat show This Morning. His comments were powerful and impactful.

Norris spoke of the "pressure and stress" a young F1 driver is now subjected to, particularly given the glare of the various social media channels, "especially at my age, coming into Formula 1 at 19, there's a lot of eyes on you. So, dealing with all these kinds of things, took its toll on me".

Believing himself not worthy of his place in the sport, Norris' insecurities led to gnawing self-doubt.

"Feeling like I don’t know what’s next," remarked Norris. "If this goes wrong, if I don’t go out in the next session and perform, what’s going to happen?

"What’s the outcome of all of this? Am I going to be in Formula 1 next year? If I’m not, what am I going to do because I’m not really good at many other things in life?

“So, just all of that, and then just feeling depressed a lot of the time that if I have a bad weekend, I just think I’m not good enough and things like that.

“When they start adding up over the season, and then the social media side of it all, that can just really start to hurt you.”

Thankfully, Norris did reach out for help inside McLaren, leading to the team taking the pro-active step in partnering with mental health charity Mind whose support has resulted in him rediscovering the right path to wellbeing.

“There’s that point where you rely on them, you trust them and you do treat them like your family,” said Norris.

“We’re partnered with Mind, which has helped me massively, and also helped many other people in McLaren but also just in the world in general.

“So speaking to McLaren, speaking to the people that are around me and my friends that I trust, and also Mind, I'm in a much better place now and I’m much happier and I can enjoy everything I do.”

For a 19-year-old Norris, the past two grand prix weekends in Italy and Russia would have been torturous.

Can you imagine what he would have gone through at that time in seeing his team-mate, rather than himself after finishing runner-up, claim McLaren's first victory for nine years? And then, just two weeks later, being within a handful of laps of redemption, only to make the wrong call in opting to stay out on slick tyres rather than switching to the required intermediates and so missing out on that long-hoped-for maiden triumph.

Norris was naturally hurting again in the immediate aftermath. The tears in his eyes and the choked voice said all you needed to know about the place he was in at that moment.

Such 'defeats' would have been crushing two years ago. Now, Norris has the tools around him to cope and bounce back.

Team principal Andreas Seidl is confident the Norris of today is in a position to put things in perspective and overcome those inner demons that once would have swallowed him whole.

"It will make him and the team stronger because it is these moments where we learn the most," said Seidl.

"As a team, it is always easy if everything goes to plan but a moment like this is a big disappointment and an opportunity to learn in order to do it better as a team, together with Lando, next time around.

“He is long enough in the sport. It is not different in the junior categories where it is part of the sport that things like this happen, big disappointments, especially when you are so close to something really big.

“But I think he has enough experience, and the team as well, to come back out of this even stronger.”

As mentioned at the beginning, there are various forms of bravery. The fact Norris displayed a different kind of fortitude when he found himself at such a low ebb in 2019 will be standing him in good stead now and for his long-term future.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.