Lando Norris has revealed that four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has performed an essential function in supporting him in his pursuit of a maiden F1 title.
After 4 rounds in 2025, Norris leads the F1 drivers’ standings by three factors forward of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
Nevertheless, by his personal admission, it’s been a difficult begin for Norris.
Norris has struggled to adapt to the dealing with of this yr’s McLaren.
Whereas he leads the standings, Piastri has gained two of the opening 4 races.
The Bahrain Grand Prix was Norris’ most disappointing efficiency but.
He certified sixth and endured a scrappy race, finally ending third behind George Russell.
Throughout his struggles, Norris has been unusually open about how tough it has been, resulting in some questions that maybe the McLaren driver is simply too trustworthy with the general public.
Forward of the Saudi Arabian GP, Vettel defended Norris for his honesty, labelling the Briton as a “actual function mannequin”.
When requested about Vettel’s feedback on Thursday in Jeddah, Norris stated: “I noticed what Seb stated. Me and Seb speak each every so often. He texts me. At all times in occasions once I in all probability want it probably the most.
“I actually love Seb. He’s at all times serving to me and texting me and sending me little notes that I respect loads. Particularly from somebody like him. I believe it positively means one thing.”
Norris ‘working arduous’ to know McLaren troubles
Norris hopes he finds a step in efficiency in Saudi Arabia this weekend.
Traditionally, this has been a weaker monitor for him relative to Piastri, who outperformed him in 2023 and 2024.
“It’s stuff that me and the workforce are working arduous on to try to perceive,” Norris defined.
“It’s clear that there are issues have modified from final yr once I was feeling very snug. That’s not permitting me to do pretty much as good as a job this yr.
“It’s not like I’ve been doing a foul job however I’m positively not in a position to be on the degree that I needs to be and know I may be or need to be.
“Working arduous to handle them. I’ve labored arduous to try to perceive them myself.”
