Button reveals weakness in Norris' F1 approach

2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button has spotted a weaknessin how Lando Norris sometimes approaches a race weekend. Norrisenjoyed a highly successful F1 campaign last year, scoring sevenpodiums as McLaren successfully developed its car towards the frontof the field. However, the Briton was self-critical at severalevents in 2023, particularly in the latter stages of the year afterqualifying. Norris felt that he let a number of potential poleposition opportunities slip away from him, taking aim at hisone-lap performances in Qatar, Brazil and Abu Dhabi. Speaking toSky Sports , Button suggested that Norris is sometimes guilty oflooking into his own performances too much and overthinkingsituations. “Lando is an extreme talent, he really is,” saidButton. “I’ve watched him since the first time he turned an F1steering wheel, which was in Hungary, because I was racing for theteam at the time. “And it’s amazing how quickly he got to gripswith it. But also, he’s a real thinker and sometimes that hurts himbecause he looks at himself too much and worries that he’s not goodenough. “But he is. He’s exceptional and I can't wait to see him inequipment that can fight for victories. But I'm not sure whenthat's going to come.” Button backs Norris to win McLaren is one ofF1's most successful teams but the Woking-based squad has notsecured a World Championship since Lewis Hamilton's triumph in2008. The last handful of years have been dominated by Red Bullwith McLaren spending last year's campaign recovering towards thefront of the grid after a disappointing start. Despite being laudedas one of the strongest drivers on the grid, Norris is yet to takehis maiden F1 race win after 104 race starts. However, Button hasurged his compatriot to stay patient as he hunts for his first runto the top step of the podium. “It’s tough with the way that it is,with having such a dominant driver, team, that only one guy canwin,” he said. “You know if you can be second to that it’s a goodstarting point. But you hope it doesn’t go on forever. “He’s notgoing to leave the sport because he’s not won a race. So he’s goingto stay there and he’s going to keep fighting for those victoriesand that want isn’t going to go away and that drive isn’t going togo either. “He’s still got to beat his team-mate. He’s still got tobeat all the other guys on the grid. “It’s painful when there’ssuch a dominant team for so many years but it changes. “We’ve seenit change with Mercedes. I didn’t think anyone was going to beatthem in the next 10 years, but they did. Red Bull came in andthey’ve beaten them. So it happens.”