Lando Norris insists he has not changed since F1 championship win

Lando Norris insists that achieving his lifelong dream of becoming a Formula 1 champion has not changed who he is as a person, though it has brought a sense of calm and confidence in the car.

The McLaren driver reflected on his title success during an interview with Sky Sports, which was filmed after he announced a contract extension with the Woking outfit until the end of 2030.

"It hasn't, which is exactly what I would want," Norris explained when asked how he thinks winning the championship has changed him. "I don't want it to change me. I don't want it to change who I am. I think I just get to go around with a feeling that I've accomplished something very few people in the world get to achieve, and I know I've achieved my dream as a kid.

"That's something, again, not many people get to achieve. So I know how lucky I am. I know how fortunate I've been to be with McLaren."

What winning the championship has changed for the 26-year-old is his outlook outside of the car.

"There's an element of I know that people have high expectations, and I have high expectations for myself, and that's where everything starts," he said about the pressure of the current championship campaign.

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Pirelli

"But there's also the element of we had such a tough start to the year. We've been very, very unfortunate with a lot of things. We knew we would start on the back foot. [Fighting for the championship] certainly wasn't the first thought we had. The fact that it's become a thought is a pretty awesome thing.

"So I'm very relaxed that I'm in the position of being the chaser, of course. But every time I'm on track, I don't necessarily feel different because of it. Every time I put my helmet on, I still want to win today. I want to be first today. I want to be on pole. And that's the same mentality that I've always had.

"It changes my outlook, especially when I'm out of the car. But I wouldn't say it changes anything when I'm in it, because when I'm in it, it's always 100%. It's always go flat out. It's always, don't embarrass yourself. I want to be number one, no matter what situation I'm in. 

"So, yeah, certainly just being off track, being more relaxed, being able to work with the team in an even better way than ever, that's what's also helping." 

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- The Motorsport.com Team