Lando Norris reveals his racing philosophy as George Russell struggles against Kimi Antonelli

Lando Norris has made his approach to Formula 1 clear, insisting that drivers should look at themselves first rather than blame their machinery when a teammate comes out on top.

The reigning Formula 1 world champion believes that being beaten by a teammate is a sign that improvements are needed, regardless of whether the car naturally suits one driver’s style more than another.

His comments come as George Russell faces a difficult season at Mercedes, having been outperformed by rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli, who is closing in on the world championship.

Antonelli heads into the Mexico City Grand Prix with a commanding 123-point advantage over Russell, having secured nine victories compared to the Briton’s three. A top-nine finish in Mexico would be enough for the Italian to secure the championship and become the youngest world champion in F1 history at just 20 years old.

Norris Refuses to Blame the Car for Poor Performances

Russell entered the 2026 campaign with high expectations, but his season has been far from consistent. Mercedes have previously acknowledged that their current car does not perfectly suit his driving style, while the 28-year-old continues to search for answers.

Speaking ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix, Russell admitted that certain characteristics of this year’s cars could benefit some driving styles while making life more difficult for others.

“This season I haven’t lost it overnight,” Russell explained.

“It’s just the hit rate. It’s like a baseball player, like hitting a home run or you’re missing the ball.”

The Mercedes driver also pointed to his preference for applying the throttle earlier when exiting corners, explaining that this approach has become less effective with the latest power units. Increased tyre pressures have also presented additional challenges.

However, Norris believes drivers should focus on adapting rather than using their equipment as an excuse.

“If my teammate beats me in a car, I’ve not done a good enough job,” said the McLaren driver, who won last year’s Mexican Grand Prix.

“I’ve never blamed my equipment. I always look at myself first; I always blame myself first.”

Norris Explains Why Drivers Must Adapt

Norris also reflected on McLaren’s difficulties during the recent United States Grand Prix weekend in Texas, where both he and teammate Oscar Piastri struggled to extract the maximum performance from the car.

Despite those challenges, the Briton insisted that he still takes responsibility when he fails to deliver the perfect performance, particularly during crucial qualifying sessions.

“Even though some of it’s not my fault because the car was so tricky, I still don’t say the only reason I’m not P2 is because the car was tricky. I say because I didn’t do a perfect job,” he explained.

The world champion added that his competitive mentality means he is never satisfied with finishing behind another driver, especially his teammate.

“I can’t stand losing to whoever… so I will have to do whatever I can to be better… even if the car suits Oscar more than me, I’ve got to change. I don’t know what else you’re meant to do. That’s my job as a driver.”

Norris believes adapting to different machinery and circumstances is a fundamental responsibility for every Formula 1 driver.

“You need to learn how to adapt to different situations. And I can’t speak for the others. Whatever they say is what they say… the only excuse I would have if I got beat by my teammate is that I’ve not done a good enough job and the excuse can’t be it (the car) doesn’t suit me.”

Norris Credits Adaptability for His Championship Success

Norris also revealed that his willingness to change his approach played an important role in his championship-winning campaign last season.

With Piastri initially appearing to have the upper hand in the title battle, Norris recognised that he needed to adjust his driving style and expectations to get the best out of the McLaren machinery.

Rather than expecting the car to suit his natural preferences, he focused on understanding how to maximise its performance.

“I had to change what I was comfy doing. I had to change my expectation, what felt good versus what didn’t feel good … it’s not ‘my way should be the way’,” Norris added.

The Briton explained that his approach has always been to understand what a particular car requires instead of expecting the machinery to adapt to him.

“It’s always like, ‘OK, it’s a new car. How do I get the most out of it?’ I’ve always thought of it that way, not ‘my driving style is the best driving style, why is it not doing what I want?'”

With Antonelli enjoying a significant advantage over Russell in the championship standings, Norris’ comments offer an insight into the mentality he believes is essential for success at the highest level of Formula 1.