Norris puts his focus on improving starts after summer reset

Norris admits that his first laps have been poor this year

Lando Norris says that Formula 1’s summer break gave him a chance to review what he can do better in the second half of the season – and his focus is on improving starts.

The McLaren driver has lost positions on the first lap at several races this year, costing him valuable points.

While he scored his first career win in Miami other potential shots at victory have slipped away for various reasons.

“I maybe didn’t end the first half the way I wanted to,” he said when asked by this writer if the break was a chance to reset.

“I’m still very happy with how things were going in general.  But it’s just given me a little bit more opportunity to look back at certain things, a bit more time to try and improve them, and go out again this weekend and do better.”

Expanding on what he learned Norris admitted that the first half of the season didn’t go entirely to plan.

“There are things I’ve looked back on and learned from,” he said. “But I’m fighting for a championship, so I’m not going to be happy if I’m not performing at the level that I need to do to beat Max, and to beat Red Bull, and to beat the other drivers that I need to be beating.

“I’m still very happy with how the season’s gone. But just one too many mistakes, and a few too many points given away. Which is not the level I need to be at if I want to fight for a championship in the end of the day, and to fight against a driver like Max.

“So plenty of things I’ve looked into, and I’ve tried to work on, and come back stronger.”

Asked to elaborate on what he wants to improve he said: “It’s mixture of things, but starts and lap one. Not like a single thing I need to change, honestly. That’s where most of my opportunities have gone away from me from me.

“After lap one onwards, generally, the races have been very strong, and pace has still been very good, and race pace has been good, strategy I’ve been very happy with. So there’s still so many strong things.

“But always overshadowed by having a bad start, or a bad turn one, or being a bit safe at times, trying to stay out of trouble, things like that.”

He added: “Especially the starts, it’s never been one thing. And even starts when they’ve not been bad, it’s just I’ve been passed by the guy who has maybe had the best start, and I’ve lost a win. 

“Like in Spain, I lost out on a win because my start was not perfect, and Max, pretty much had the best start.

“And that’s allowed them to get ahead and things like that now. So it’s not even like things have been bad, honestly, it’s just they need to be perfect to compete against the guys we’re competing against, and the smallest deficit or weakness can bite you quite easily.”