Lando Norris Interview

I don't need people to tell me when I did a good job or a bad job. I went through all the tough moments and I came out stronger than ever before. I felt like I lost sight of why I raised. You don't think of the fear or the speed. You have to be a little bit crazy, I think, to just want to go out and do that. Hello folks, welcome to Speed with Harvick and Bucston, fueled by Poet. Let's talk racing, Will. Let's do that and we do that with none other than the reigning Formula One. World Champion, London Aorus. Thank you. Hello. How are you? Nice to see you again. Good to see you, man. I'm good. No, nice to be here as well. My first time, my first time in India. Your day late. Just one day. I even finished my race earlier yesterday. You could have made it. No, it's cool to be out. I feel like I'm missing something because I'm missing it with the fans. I feel like that's going to be the most insane thing ever. But just cool to be here. I got to go see the museum earlier with Mr. Penske himself. Cool. Yeah, I got the full experience so far. It's crazy how different the experience is with the fans. I remember the first time I came here in '01 and it's empty. Yeah, you go hot, ask down the front straightaway and it's just everything's echoing. And then you come back for the race and you drive through a sea of people and going into turn one. I mean, it looks like you're going to drive right into the grandstands. Well, we made the comparison with golf, right? That you go and play in the winter and there's no leaves in the trees and the fairways feel really wide open. Yeah. And then when the leaves come on in the summer and suddenly the fairways feel narrow. Especially when you're seeing off and you're people around you. And that's when you play off at 10, 10, 10, 15, and you can. That's the worst. When you go to the front way or something and you got to tee off with people and like, do you guys know how bad of a golfer? But that's this place. So I got to have since we're talking about golf. Mr. Bustin here is a is a is a golfer. Terrible golfer. And I see some Instagram stuff of you playing golf. Is this something that you've always done? Enjoy. No, I call us going to answer it. So during end of 2019 into 2020. Yeah. And obviously during during Kobe, there's nothing you could do. Bob go out and play golf basically. So I started then. I was one of those guys. I was like, who the hell wants to play golf? Yeah. What is this sport? I'm now like I that plays golf every day. So is that a word play? Are you going to play here? I'm not going to play here. I don't have time to play here. I played the seventh. Yeah. I was not closest to the green, but it was pretty cool. I would love to play here. Especially here. I would actually I think I'd love to play while I drive here. Driving around you. Yeah. I think that's just a cool vibe. So we need more of these kind of tracks. I think in the UK, you know, when you got like golf course track. Yeah, I would go guys, let's go testing every day. There's a silver stone golf course. There's one like a little. Or is it whistle? Yeah. Yeah. I want to win in the track. In the track. I'm talking about wanting to play at the internet. List motor speedway. Yeah. Did a virtual Indy 500. Yeah. No, I almost won that one. You almost won. You got you got wrecked. I remember this Irish. I remember this perfectly. Who wrecked you? I'm not going to say it. I think I remember. I don't want to say it, but no, I love that. It was a cool cool event. I did that with my performance engineer that I have now. Angie Jarvis. And he came out to do some of the Indy car. He moved to America and came to do the Indy car stuff for a little while. So he was loving it, but it was. It was cool. I mean, that was just on a simulator, but still a lot of people watching. And I was still nervous. Still all of those things, you know, when you'd have to do the weight jacket. And the roll bars and stuff. So I enjoyed that a lot, but I mean, that's nothing right. Compared to actually being here and I just saw Felix as well. And like I don't even know what to say because I know he's at the same time just still taking it all in. And there must be the most insane, one of the most insane feelings in the world, especially the way you did it, like, you know, 200s across the line. It must be close. Close to the watch. And he's got, he's got a lot to take in. He's new dad. Indy 500 champion. Yeah. Unbelievable life changing experience. But that's it for these guys, this race means as much as a as a championship. Yeah, no, absolutely. So you can understand what he's going through right now the morning after achieving your dream. Yeah. No, he said he had a little bit of sleep much last night. Yeah. As he should. So no, he celebrated the thing well. And yeah, he must just be insane. I mean, when you cross like, there must be so there is so much adrenaline. And then it's just, you know, it's done. And then that just all sinks through your body. And obviously looking at the fans and you're trying to realize what you've just done. So for him, I'm very happy for him. I've known Felix, not like super well, but I've known, we've known each other since, I mean, I was about me like 12, 13, 14 years old. And I watched him in Formula 3 and things like that. So I'm, I'm, and he was part of the Clarence family as well. So I'm very happy for him. So take us back to that moment for you, that realization when it's the adrenaline, but the relief. Yeah, I was emotional. Yeah, I was crying. I was crying. Um, there was obviously, it was a beautiful, beautiful thing. Uh, because it's, I mean, that was my whole life. Like your whole, I'm probably the same, it's similar thing for him. Like your whole life leads up to that moment. And I mean, especially because this race here in Indies, you know, a month long, let's say, um, you got the month of May. So you got the Indie race and then you got the Indie 500 and it's a big buildup. That's a crazy buildup for one race. Um, so that kind of, you know, all builds up inside you at the same time. For me, in a similar way that my whole life was, okay, I want to be a Formula One World champion. So I had like 15 years, 16 years of that kind of all building up to, to get to that point. And it's insane amount of, I guess relief, but also just joy because it's hard to make yourself realize what had just happened. Um, that you did it. Like, that I did it. Uh, that was just one of the hardest things to tell myself like, yeah, I actually did that. I did what I want soren TV when I was a kid. I then want streamed off and then then it happened. Um, it was one of my beautiful feelings and I cried. It's not, not many things in life I cry about, but I, I was very, there were happy tears, happy tears for sure. But when you, when you look back at, at your career and I, I found this really interesting, we had, makes you muck around here and talked about the carding experience because you, you talk about that, that journey of what it took to get there and it's so stressful. Yeah. And everything you do revolves around, um, your job, it becomes a job. Yeah, it becomes a job, but it, it's a job. And, and I felt like I, until Keelan started racing my son, I felt like I lost sight of why I raced. Because of, because you just, you fall so far into the work patterns and things that, that go with what it takes to be successful and you almost, it almost wears you out, uh, just for the, for all the wrong reasons because you lose the passion of it. The carding situation in, in Europe is, is way different. We were, I was able to go over there for a couple years with, with my son and, and witness it. But it's all you guys have. Yeah. Like, you go, you go cart or you don't race. I mean, that's pretty much it. Yeah. And you guys all grow up around each other and then you kind of get dispersed around the world in the, in the different series for the guys that don't, don't make it around F1. What do you miss about that? A lot. And just the, yeah, I mean, it is just such a pure form of, of fun, learning, all the things that go and, and what do you miss about that? Yeah, there's a, those are the good days, you know, um, I think one of the biggest differences now is you just have the responsibility of a team behind you are the same. Keyword responsibility. Yeah. So we never knew we didn't have as a kid. That was, didn't even know how to say that when I was younger. So, um, you know, when you, like, when we start, you start, please, love it. It's the same as, uh, you go and play football because you just want to go, you enjoy it. Um, that was like, I'm sure I was saying for you, like, that was just what you'd love to do as a kid. It was like, I just want to go and drive and just be on track and be free and try, go as quick as possible and slowly, I guess, yeah, over time you, that drifts away a little bit and sometimes you need to remind yourself of it because, um, you then do have people who get, gets, gets expensive. Um, you can't afford to just go out and just have fun. Yeah. You know, you have to take it seriously and, um, it becomes a job because I have 1,000 people that are wanting me to do well and putting a lot of effort into building an incredible car for me to go and kind of perform for them. So responsibility becomes a massive part and I guess that does kind of start to impact and push away the, I'm just going out to have fun kind of vibe that you have in karting. Um, but you're so young, so you're just kind of meeting new people, you're meeting like a lot of my friends I have now, actually, my only friends I have now, other guys I grew up with in karting, not the ones from school, they're the ones I spent like 2012, 2013, 2014 with, um, because you used to be away like, I mean, I was like, I felt like months at a time, um, you know, you were, you were driving Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, like that was, that was a race week. It's normal. And you do that week after week. So, um, that was, uh, that was my life was, you know, on the roads, Italy, Spain, uh, UK, doing all those races. And you just went out and you just enjoyed it, you know, racing was beautiful. Um, you're with your friends. Um, you're not taking anything that seriously and you're just enjoying it for what it is. A beautiful sport where you can just, um, be free out on track. And it's so, but it's so interesting because they wind up that, that European karting world, the kids all grow up together and they go through it for so long. Yeah. And that's the way that, like here you have legend cars and you have go cards and you have spring cars and midgets and so many different choices around what you guys had in, in Europe to, to be able to learn how to race. I mean, I think I would love more, more stuff in the UK. I feel like dirt is a probably almost a bigger thing out here in America. Dirt racing. Um, I love it. I want to try rally. I want to try getting into the rally stuff. No one lets me do it anyway. Yeah. Without telling anyone, I want to go out and try some rally. I love, yeah, don't tell Zach, but maybe we need to be clarifying in rally. - You're doing everything else. - Exactly, that's the next step for us. I love racing. I started because I love to just go on drive. I love Formula One, but I also love IndyCar. I love Rally. I love my GP at the same time. I just enjoy driving in general. I've grown up doing single-seaters. When I did the Daytona 24 hour, when I get to go and try something different, like TK is going to take me around for a couple of laps later. Obviously we're not going to be going anywhere as quick as they do here on the race. I just want to get to go and experience something very different. It takes you out of your comfort zone in some ways, and that I start to enjoy more and more in my life now. I'm excited for that. - You've used the word freedom when you were talking about karting. I haven't seen you in two years. You're different. You feel different. You feel freer. You haven't stopped smiling. - The tournament championship does. - Well, pressure is gone. - But do you feel that it's changed? You've been so open in the past about yourself, and obviously mental health and everything like that. It feels like you have an acceptance of self. - Yeah. No, I mean, obviously that's been one of the biggest questions. How have you changed since the championship? In many ways, not at all, which I think is a very good thing. There's nothing more than I love. When I'm away from the track, then just being with my mates and my family and going to play golf and just being normal. Going out for dinner and just walking around town, whatever it may be. I think, and when I've been asked a question, and more I've thought about it, the more I've just actually realized, the only thing that's really changed is the realization that I did it. And any time I go through at any tough moment, and that's obviously what I've struggled with in the past is dealing with, because I care so much about what I do, and I want to do so well for my team and I race. I feel like my motivation every time I go out and race. Of course, I want to do it for myself at the same time. I want to go out and perform for my team. So whenever I don't do well, I'm just disappointed because I feel like I've let down, you know, the thousand people, or obviously all the fans at the same time, that are there supporting me. And therefore, you feel their responsibility, and that plays a massive part on me. And I struggle with that in the past, a lot, a lot. And you know about that, and I spoke about it, and I always said in interviews, my own biggest critic, easily. I don't need people to tell me when I've done a good job or a bad job. I know I'm the one in the car, and I know what a good job is. And therefore, there's no, they're going to excuse. There's a reason, like, why were you not good today? I just, because I just couldn't drive the car, and I just couldn't time things well, whatever it is. It's just my reason. It's not an, not an excuse. I just did a bad job that day, and I'm happy to say that sometimes. But what has changed is the fact that I went to quite a few tough moments last year. I made, no, I still do. I'm always going to make, like everyone does. Everyone's going to make mistakes and make the wrong decisions. Kind of like we did on the weekend just gone. But you got to accept them and move on as in the best way possible. And what I've learned is no point, it's easy to say now. And I feel like I've worked on that a lot, but there's no point dwelling on those things you cannot change anymore. And any time I go into a tough moment now, I kind of really feel like I can just fall back on last year, which was I went through all the tough moments and I came out stronger than ever before. I dealt with that. I dealt with this. I went ahead about FB1, FB2, FB3, and I turned it into a poll in qualifying. Like all those moments, I feel like I can just fall back on. More than that I've ever done before. And therefore I feel like I don't get worried as much when I'm just not kind of clicking with things. I feel like, no, I know I'm going to do it because I have that confidence that I'm just going to go out and do a good job. And that's not something I've always had, certainly, and that's something that really changed the thing a lot last year to this year. But I also had to work hard on that last year because I was never one that kind of ever woke up in the morning, when today's my day, I'm going to go out and just nail it. I was never that kind of guy. I wish I was sometimes a bit more like that, but I had to work on that. And now I feel like I can go today, I'm going to do a good job. But I've worked on a lot with people away from the track and things like that. I've changed because of my and in my self confidence. And that's the best thing about it all. Otherwise I'm not changed and I don't want to change and I just want to go out and enjoy life. What's it? What's it like internally? Because look, when Zach was here, he was the guy that had the UPS sponsor selling it for the agency. So I never I didn't know you knew Zach the marketing man. I knew Zach the marketing guy from the agency and that was it. I never imagined that he would be running an F1 team. I don't think he did. I first heard it on my Gwantian though. What? Who? But it's worked out great. And I watch a lot of the things that happen whether it's through Netflix or whatever it is. And it just seems like a very different dynamic from what other teams could be. It seems like it's more of a normal race team, like a American race team, where there's communication, actual feelings of trying to care for the person. What has that been like with Zach and that process and just the team in general to work through all the things that you've challenged, but also have what seems from the outside in support? Yeah, I mean it's been, I've known Zach now for 26, so almost 11 years. I just nuts. 11 years too many, but I knew when McLaren was with Ron and I've seen that whole evolution of when Zach came into McLaren. How things have changed. And the thing is with Zach, he has that business side to him, he understands all of those things, but he also understands people very, very well. And that's why he was also very good in the business side of things. And he understands people, he can connect people and put people together and that's what you need in the team. And it's probably the most important thing is you don't maybe necessarily need the best of the best in every single area. But if you can just put a team together that works and clicks and people can support each other, motivate each other, accept responsibility, accept mistakes, those kinds of things, you can be the best. That's easily what I can confidently say that what he's done such a good job in is putting the right people in the right place. Also them then Andrea being the main one, he's the most people person I think I've ever met in my life. Like he figures out people, he knows exactly how people can work together. He knows when things aren't right. And he just, he can put together a perfect team. I think we do have the best of the best and we also have someone that knows how to put all the best of the best together. And therefore you got no team that's no one to constructors in a row and try and make it a third. But Zach has done just a very good job in just making everyone feel very much at home. And not like I have to go into work today and I have to do this. I have to do that by the end of today. You want to make it that people want to go in and just go, I want to go in because I want to get this done and I want to get that done. I want to get the front wing done better than ever and more perfectly and quicker than ever because I want that on the car for next weekend. So Lando and Oscar can go out and try to get another win or a podium, whatever it is. So you must want people to go to work, not just say, I have to go to work today. At least it tries to kind of make that the atmosphere you have within team. And I've been lucky to kind of see that evolution over almost the last eight years because my eights here in Formula One is just crazy. But over the last eight years to kind of go from where we were to where we are now. And I've been lucky to be part of that. Hey speed fans, this show is fueled by poet. Poets zero carbon bioethanol gives NASCAR drivers the octane they need with zero carbon intensity. When it comes to performance, you can't beat zero. Learn more at poet.com. Zach wants to win the triple crown. Yeah, I know he does. Which is the Monaco Grand Prix or the Formula One World Championship, depending on which version you take it as. The Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 hours. Yeah. McLaren's entering hypercar. Yeah. How nice would it be? Well, how much would you want to be the driver that delivers the triple crown for Zach? Yeah, I mean, would you take on that responsibility? After coming here, it's become a thought before honestly, it wasn't really a thought. Also because my whole life has just been Formula One Formula One, get the championship. You've done that now. You've been free. So for the first time, I can maybe go, I want to go see what's over there. I want to go see what's over there. And like I said, I love just all types of racing. So I've never driven, I mean, I've done data in 24. If you want to count that as a driving on an oval, you can. But this is a very different oval to that and a very different race. So I need to just try an oval first in a car, which I think is pretty, it's just different world, obviously what I do now. So especially here, I think it's not like it's a crazy back. I've got a whole shop of them if you just show up and don't want to show up, work out back. I do it, but I mean, try it. The mad thing here is that sort of mathematically every corner is I. Yeah, each one of them drives completely different. Yeah, no, it's really different. Absolutely. Yeah. So it's like a four corner Try and then the wind direction changes. Yeah, no, the wind's I'm sure the wind plays one of the biggest part of the 32 cars around you And it's all completely completely, but would you would you do the 500 would you would you race Le Mans? Le Mans Le Mans for me is like an easier take. Yeah, I done they turn 24 and I love it. I love it the team aspect of it. It's just So Le Mans is definitely something I want to do Indy is like I mean, let's just say I feel like it's a crazier thing Also, it's basically if it's a one-up event, you know if you're doing a championship It kind of feels more natural that you're just going out to do it, but to kind of just go in for one one thing like Fernando's done I think it's a pretty you have to be a little bit crazy. I think to yeah, so just want to go out and do that So I feel like Fernando Fernando Fernando nearly won it on debut and then comes back and doesn't even qualify Like that's how tough this place at some point you'll get old enough to where it's just a box if you really want to do it It's just a box that you want to check. Yeah, well, that's that'll be the You're so young right now. I know I know I got I got years on my side, but Actually, like when I spoke to I think you just said it Christian or no, I think it was Felix Like when you're on track You're not you're not thinking are the walls here and this is there and I'm going 220 whatever it is, you know You're like the adrenaline is taken over so much that you're just I was like how What were you thinking when you're the final lap you're side by side? You're one two and three And I then just I think just gets clear into four like You know what what do you feel as a as a person when you're in that position is like You're just you know your mind is just taken over everything is up conscious You're very much just like I'm just gonna do this and this and this and Be said you don't think of it. You don't think of The fear or the speed or the or if I have a snap now like you know, you just snap then you're done so You don't think of it. So I think no it's one of those things that It's crazy scary from the outside and when you watch it you're like damn these these guys are nuts And I think you still think that when you're in the car But I just got a I need to get that feeling for the first time off going round and try to How many races how many races have you had already is this five? It'll be a season yeah, is it seven seven? It'd be really interesting for somebody like him to come in to start the season run the first six or seven races run the first six races and then go to Indy just to get the time in the car Yeah, because that's really what you want you want to be competitive, right? Yeah, no, I don't know. I feel comfortable not to feel like you're gonna crash. It's such a different Yeah, it's just a different world out here, but I like street tracks. Just seem they seem like proper street tracks Yeah, bump BSL and jumpers and everything. Yeah, we got to Arlington was a brand new track on the calendar this year Apparently, Mick Schumacher in the driver's group chat was just like boys road surface here's a little bit in the Harley and everyone's like this is the smoothest track It's a girl's a girl. Yeah, come on. Um, Lando we we want to thank you so much for being here I'm sorry. We would love nothing more than to see you race here for the Indy 500 to race maybe one day But anywhere just go have fun. Yeah, but As long as you do everyone who's wanted to do much continued success. Appreciate it many many congratulations, Max. So please to see you in the time. Appreciate it. Thanks for being so much. Thank you. Thanks.