Technical Challenges and Future Regulations

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Whole Foods Market. Make your summer sizzle L Live, Formula one Hello Wlcome to Silverson. Formula One is back at the home of British motorsport and it is the most glorious day here. And as I look down on the paddock, it is absolutely heaving and it's only Thursday as we are gearing up for the British Grand Prix. I'm standing outside the reigning World Champions Hospitality unit And I'm joined by the BBC's F one correspondent, Andrew Benson. The paddock is looking respendent, isn't it? Andrew I quite like Silverston in the sunshine. It's real British sumertime isn't it Rana? It's lovely and Silverson's like nowhere else when the weather's like this,.'s like nowhere else when the weather iss not like this as well. But yeah, it's a real carnival atmosphere here. And it is wonderful to be back racing here. And the reason we're standing outside McLaren is because Andrew some time with the Raining World Champion Lando Norris, you sat down with him to talk about all things really, but how did you find the Rigning World Champion? What spirit is in in coming into this home race weekend for him? Well, I think philosophical positively philosophical will be the way to put it probably. Obviously it's not been the best start to his title defense year, not the title defense that he would have wanted. He's not been able to defend his title realistically the car' not been quick enough. And he talked about that. We got like twenty five minutes or something with him, which is very generous of McLaren, unusual to get that much time with a former one driver, especially on the e of their home race and the worldor Champion. Taled about a wide range of topics But he was very open on all of them. and he's an open guy as N Ranna. And it was very refreshing and very enjoyable to do the interview Well, I can't wait to hear it. Let's hear Lando Norris then your reigning world champion talking with Andrew coming into his home race weekend Soollando, thanks very much for joining us. No probleome First of all, I wanted to ask you how you feeling about the work the year so far. You came into it as worldld Champion Perhaps it's not gone quite as well as you would have wanted in that context. How would you sum it up Yeah, u I don't think there's one word that probably sums it up. I think it's been a year where Of course, expectations were high from my side from us as a team. U rightly so U But I think it's just been it's been more difficult than we would have wanted for sure fromrom a power unit side side of things and from a car side of things and But we're in a position that is hard to not be in Considering we had to put so many eggs in the basket of last year U which I wouldn't change for the world. So I kind of you know, I'm happy I have the pain of this year for the glory of last year, but we're working hard to change things around. so it's Yeah, it's just after two great years. You of course hope to can continue that tradition, but so far not to be So it's what you're saying is it's the struggles that McLaren are having basically a direct consequence of pushing hard to win the championship last year and withith a big rule change, you've not been able to get as much into this year's car as you would have wanted to. so pretty much It's not just like a That's just a flat out, yes We still put a lot of effort into making sure we're ready for this year and we're not as ready as what we would havek to have been and as strong as we would have liked to have been. but certainly a good amount of trying to win the championship as a constructor and as a team last year as a contstructor and a driver last year required a continued amount of dedication on the car of last season when just more effort in other teams teeams are doing well now they just would have shifted more people, more more focus would have gone to this year. So it it's just a price you pay in a very competitive world against extremely good teams and clever people And as soon as you're Yeah just a little bit more focus on last season especially in such a big transition of regulation, you pay the price pretty quickly All the same are you enjoying being World Champion course I mean, It's you know, I'm still able to probably smile more and definitely able to smile more Now even through the tough times because of last season, so I'm still asking in ye the moments of of last season, but U you know, every driver is in it now because they want to win now I'm not going to be happy of finishing fifth, sixth, fourth the whole season, you know, so I enjoy winning, I want to return to winning and that's my goal currently Is anything so nothing's changed for you. the same desire, same motivation. What about externally? has being worldorld Champion any impact on you U None at all. Honestly, I think it's more how much you choose to change it yourself more than how much The outside world changes I think, of course, certain things from the exterior change in terms of publicity and exposure, fans How much more you get noticed in the streets, things simple things like that. but My life hasn't changed because I didn't want it to change. I think if it changes, it's because people choose for it to change. Um I don't want it to be I'm very happy. I travel with my friends. I go do amazing things. I live a very good life already. So there's no reason for it to be and I don't want it to be.' I'm very happy and I'm I'm still working hard currently to try and just return to winning races, get the team back to where we want to be, simple as that. And this is your first British Grand Prix as worldorld champion. how are you feeling about that I very excited. I mean, I'm excited just because obviously last year was a good British Grand Prix so to return as the winner of the British Canpri, but also as champion Um It's like the one place that really makes you feel like you belong more than anywhere else. I feel like of course, I feel like I belong in McLaren and I feel like I belong in F Luand When you go to your home race, and I'm sure it's the same for every driver You really feel a sense of belonging. becausecause of the fans and the kind of love you get the support The cheers, the t shirts, all of it, you know, in my own grandstand, like All of those things make you like downown this is this is pretty amazing. So U L forward for a various amount of reasons. But the fact iss just the British Grandrix It's one of the best races of the season, but then it's my home race. it's our teams home race Um champion. like there's just a lot of beautiful things to look forward to. It's just' for me the most enjoyable fun And it's probably it will be the race that I will Miss the most one day Um, you know, when I retire U in many years time This will be the The thing I miss is the fans that kind of feeling of u trying to provide for them in terms of giving them a win and providing for your country. that's a pretty awesome thing. I think I'm yeah, going to miss that. therefore I know I need to really T take it all in as much as possible. And of course you're one of quite a few British drivers and you've already been part of an all British podium this year with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell Would it mean anything extra to you for that to repeat itself at Silson or are you owning it for yourself really Um, I'm fighting for myself, but I think That's a huge bonus is when you have three Bits on the podium. I think that's a pretty awesome thing Um I want to be the best of any driver, not just of the Brits or anything. You know, I don't mind who I share a podium with. I don't I try and beat everyone But the fact you can have three brs up there, I think is a very good thing Just so that there can be three brits on a podium first of all Um There's potential for more, but there's just no space, you know, So I think it's awesome that we have so many Brits in Formula one and so many incredible drivers as well Um But the fact I got to just share that little moment there, I think is very special in Barcelona, but I think that would be that would be pretty amazing and I think for the for the country and the Brits, it' be awesome if you had here too Does racing at Silverston have any special effect on you? I mean, Nigel Mancell used to say gave him a second a lap, which most people would need a second lap right now I don't know if it's a second or lap, but it's certainly you could just go in with more energy you go in and Like I said, you feel like you want to do something for them. You want you don't to let them down. you want to give them something to cheer about. So That certainly makes you just try that one, two percent more. U I wish it's a second lap But it's certainly' certainly, I don't know You say a tenth here or there and a few decisions that you make that you You're like, I want to go for it. You know, you commit a bit more in certain times because you feel like that's your moment to shine. So I think there's certainly a small benefit, but a second That's u I would love if that was to be true You have had some good results this year. You know, you probably should have won Miami.. And you know, you were pretty close in Spain. you know podium okay, but you were pretty close to the win as well. in terms of time How would you expect things to go at Silverston Um I mean, I think we've been improving lately U Of course, I think Monicaco is Monaco is just the outlier. So get rid of Monaco and course just the misfortune we had in Canada Um It's still not been that bad. I think just the expectation so high that third or fourth or fifth is u It's going to frown upon in a way. so U it's not been bad otherwise and You know, Oscar finished what eighteen seconds or nineteen seconds off the lead, which is not it's not big gap. It's not dreadful in Austria Obviously, I think we' less than that in or similar amount in Barcelona should have w in Miami. so It's not like we're having a dreadful season. It's been dreadful for one reason, reliability and issues. That's been the biggest letdown of the whole year. but Apart from that, the pace has not been terrible And I think we can still go into weekends now. with some confidence that we can have a good weekend and that can mean a podium. It means extracting absolutely everything and being Perfect the whole weekend But it's possible And u Eitrex is very different. I think you also see how much other teams are fluctuating in terms of performance ari I've seen in winning Barcelona and struggling in reedboring. Mercedes obviously fluctuating a little bit Red Bull now coming back into the game. So I think it's hard to predict these things, but we want to say we're in a good fight for the time being, I think we're in a fight to go for podiums potentially and good points. I don't think we have the confidence and we just really we can't fight for wins at the minute and. that's something we're we we're trying to fight for. And how are you feeling about your own performance this year? Are you happier in the car than you were at this stage last year or even if the car's not as performant as last year's? Beuse you're doing pretty you know, compared to Oscar you you know, you're probably ahead generally in terms of, you know, absolute pace. It's only marginal No I've been I've been very happy. I think like Rel Ring I was happy. I was just I just had a pretty poor lap one and that was basically it. and then it was hard to overtake from there. So honestly, my performances I feel like this year have been on average better than last season is still an income incredibly still find it a very complicated car to drive and difficult to understand session inession out like what is needed every single track corner set up, like what is needed to really get everything under of this car. So we're still struggling. and I think we're struggling as a pair of drivers to understand that completely. but I feel like I've had a better start to the year than last year Last year that meant, you know, probably winning it like leading a championship or not this year means being within eighty to one hundred points, you know so It's not all about if you're doing a good job, you just get rewarded. That's not the case in Formula One, but I feel like I've had a decent start to the year, just u moments where that gets taken away and therefore is not shown. but It's also hard to to show the world that kind of thing. You know in Formula one, you've got to And as a driver, sometimes A fist can mean a win on a weekend for you. like You know, at P three in Barcelon, I felt like one of my best drives I've ever done but it's a B three. So you know, it's all internal. It's all what do you know was the maximum you could achieve that weekend? and I feel like most weekends We've been getting the most out of it quQuite interesting looking at from the outside comparing last year to this. you know, last year you started well and then had a bit of a dip and then came back and this year George Russells having a very similar season in a way haveave you recognize that. Have you talked to him about it in any way? What do you make of that Um No I've not really spoken I've spoken a little bits about you know how it feels in the car and a couple of little things, but Nothing might say much more personal than that. I thinkk me and Georia are quite different in terms of personalities and Um Yeah. He's often more sneaky with things. I think I'm more just open with things You were certainly more open last year about your struggles than he has been until Monaco Yeah. Kim he's been doing a very good job. like you also just have to give hats off to your teammate when he's doing a good job I alsos did an amazing job at times last year. when he was beating me, I was like I've done a bad job and he's doing a good job. U I'm not afraid to say when someone is doing a good job Kimmy's been doing an incredible job this season. you know, at nineteen years old, second year in Formulal one. He's impressive what he's doing He's also beenformmal on for a reason. so I don't think it should be a surprise, but He is going up against George and Gege is Obviously having some ups and downs. he's certainly had more problems and issues and setbacks than what Kim' hass had. Um, It's hard to overcome them at times, especially when you feel like you're on for a win or , whatever might have been Um But he's he's a smop He's a smart person. I think he understands What is needed personally from his own side and And therefore I'm confident that he can bounce back when he needs to Is it frustrating being world Champion and not being able to defend the worldorld Championship so far. Yeah. yeah. It is a little bit, but I also um 've always been just very realistic in you know chances into weekends and things. It wasn't like I came into this year. thinking we werere going to win again. So U Its Yeahah, it's frustrating because of course when someomeone asks you and you go, yeah, I won last year or something and How you doing this year? and I go, Wh Then you have to kind of explain the situation a little bit more Um, You know, in most other sports, you kind of just get another opportunity that's equal in Formalo one and as for people who know Formulal onene know that you have your moments because you can have a car that's very strong and Um If it's not quite strong enough, you can at time still perform like Max did last year And sometimes you can drive the best year of your life and never get rewarded in a way. So that's just a sport of forma one, but So I understand it very well peopleople on the outside don't understand it at times that well, but Um, yeah, your times and your opportunities come and go and I made the most of last year and I would love if I could fight a bit more, especially with The different drivers to fight against George and Kimmy to see like Louis back up there fighting well, like Those are guys we didn't race against that much last season. Um So it would be nice, It would be nice to kind of get back up there but I'm confident we will, so I'm not worried Eight, seven, seven, three nine, three four, four, four eight afternoon five so first so fine gotot another provider leving behind Come on everybody. let's get online. thirty a month gonna blow your mind. Five oers don't hesitate. like it didn' now before it's too late, eight seven, seven, three nine three four The ultimate cookout starts with the ultimate ingredients. At Whole Foods market, no antibiotics ever burgers and kebabs are prepped and ready to throw on the grill. Fire up a juicy ribbeye. Grab creamy potato salad and savory flatbreads from the prepared foods department and round it all out with three hundred and sixty five brand condiments, chips and dips at everyday low prices. Whole Foods Market. Make Y summer sizzle Formula One is all about precision, tiny margins, massive ambition, flat out performance And that's exactly why it's exciting to see Cadillac entering Formula onene Bringing an American luxury brand with performance pedigree onto the biggest stage in motorsport. But this isn't just about the grid That same racing mindset, the obsession with engineering, the pursuit of perfection. lives in the Cadillac V series lineup giving you the chance to experience the precision and performance of the grid on the open road Cadlac V series Distinctive luxury performance ennggineered to thrills. Discover the V sereries lineup at cadillac. com. You showed a lot of faith in McLaren through the years leading up to your championship campaigns in twenty four and twenty five. and obviously that paid off. Now you've had a bit of a dip. Do you still feel as committed to and as trusting in McLaren as you always did? Yeah, um one one percent. And I think thing that people don't realize is You know I want to win races and I certainly want to You know, win here and now and I want in want to win in the future. And you got to think of both things in the world of Formula onene But U I'll also at times choose A happappiness of u place over a mayaybe some unknown territory kind of thing, you know, So there might be a year in Fm of O one where I'm just like, I'm very happy I'm MLaren. like We might win, we might not. I'd rather stay here and enjoy, you know My years at McLaren, then maybe choose to go somewhere elsewhere I could have a better chance, but and Honesty I will go to it I'll always try and go be at a team that I want to that I can win with And for a lot of the time I've been with McLaren, I' believed it could be McLaren. But for me, there's a fine line between just wanting to go out and win and also just wanting to be with people that I love to be with a team that I love to be with and I'm fighting with them And I fought with McLaren, you know twenty well since the beginning in a way But it doesn't mean as soon as it's going well, jump ship and go somewhere else and likeike I'm happy to stick it out another two, three years and fight with them to try to get back to winning again. So I'm not a guy that's just okay, my opportunity here is gone. go somewhere else. Um honestly, I'll choose joy and happiness of place over just all out potential of winning U And of course, I want McLaren to be both of those together, but Yeah there are years where I'll definitely pick up Just the fact I love McLaren over going somewhere else where I can maybe win Do you feel like you might be at McLaren for life Quite potentially Like I wouldn't'm not against it at all. I would u I would love to be. I feel like I'm dedicated to them. They gave me my opportunity in the first place. We won together. We want to win many more together Um I don't know how long I've been in Formal one, but yeah, certainly it's certainly a possibility. and That's something I'm also excited for Now it's silly season at the moment and you've probably seen there' been some stories around about McLaren and Max Verstappen Do you know anything about that? if it came to pass and obviously Zach Brown said he wants to stick with you in Oscop Piastry for the foreseeable future doesn't intend to change. Would you welcome just happened as a teammate I welcome anyone as a teammate. Of course I think Max is alongside Lewis and u You know, like Fernando Um world champions, I would say, like, u, He alongside some of the best. and of course, you always want to try and prove yourself against the best. And the best way to prove yourself against the best is have them as your teammate. So I'm very open to anyone being my teammate honestly. U I would love ye, Max to be my team. I would love Lluis was my teammate. I love Ferando was my teammate U but I also like Oscar as a teamate, you know, I think he's honestly an unbelievable driver I wouldn't say he's underrated in any way because I think people rate him very highly. so I think I have a very strong teammate that pushes me. Um But yeah, I mean, there's always rumors, there's always things up in the air Um, but I know that we both have a Yeah, our names I wouldn't say pencil didn't pend in McLaren for much longer. so it's always funny seeing a things come up when you're kind of like questioning how it's even possible, but You never know in the world of Fumborne? Yeah Would he fit the McLaren philosophy in the way you approached last year's championship, for example Um evenven if it's a very academic question in the context of what you just said Uh It would certainly be a different vibe for him Um It will certainly be a different vibe. you know, Fula one Red Ball is You know, it's kind of um Parts of it, I think people saying teams are built around people is is an over exaggerated thing. Cars being built around people is an over exxaggerated thing Um People just build the best cars that they can. You don't build around. someone's comments is necessarity, but Um Philosophies and mentalities are certainly different between what Red Bull are and what we are and there's certain things that he would not be able to do at McLaren that he feels like he can do in Red Bull Um Uh So We'll see you maybe one day Now I wanted to end the interview just to talk briefly about this year's cars and then the future. Yeah he made Max made some comments about Silverston and energy recovery at the last race. I'm sure you heard them. All right. being a bit concerned about how it was going to be. What do you know about that? and where do you think the terms of contrast the sort of The combination of driving enjoyment versus spectacle Wh do you see forormul one this year, and what's plann for the next two years in terms of the change in the energy ratio of the engine? Well, honestly, I don't think you could I don't think you can say it's been a boring season. I don't think you can say that at all. I think it's actually been quite an exciting season from a spectator point of view Um as a fan, I think you're looking at it and you're going it's pretty cool. you know, there's been some different winners Um, Red will look good and other races and McLaren will look good Um, the Mercedes drivers are going at it like I would still say it's been quite an exciting year from the outside Um, I simply just think what What we as drivers have complained about in the past and maybe complain about at times into Silverstone and into the future races this year. is just how the cars are to drive. We're not complaining about from the outside perspective we think it could be even better from an outsideer perspective and as a fan, but Um We want cars that you can push flat out in, and the more you Push your sotle pedal the faster you go That's just not the case in Formula one nowadays of this year I Certainly Silverstone is going to be an interesting one from an energy perspective Um, Is it affecting the driving challenge of Silverston As a pure driving challenge? Absolutely ye yeah ye. It' certainly it's a different challenge in some ways. It's certainly less a challenge than it's been in the past and it will be less a challenge than it's been in the past. Those cops, for example, won't be as challging as it would have been because you're recovering energy through there, for example, maybe. Yeah, The battery starts to die before you go in and things like that. you' still be going pretty damn quick.. So it's not gonna to look slow u there were just certain certain points and then in slightly intomagaz and beckets and things where You're not kind of consistently accelerating through the corner. You're starting to decelerate through the corner And is that going to change with these regulations that they're planning for twenty seven or twenty eight? It was certainly shift. I wouldn't say it's going to change completely. I think even if you ex like two years We're still going to be coming here and going, it's not as good as what it was last season U But that doesn't mean it's not going to be fun racing and cool to watch and all these things you're going to see U battles for the lead and changes and good overtakes and just for you this new racing It's just different. I certainly, you know I think u I don't know. At times people hate change. People hated the halo and people hated this and that You eventually get used to it and it becomes a new normality for you. but Um Yeah simply like like I just said, the coment I've just the more I press my thrtle pedal, the quicker I want to go. That should just be it. That should be that should be a fact. this year is not a fact and for me, that's not how I