Norris Calls For Improvements To Driver Comfort Amid Health Struggles

Monday, 18 March 2024 at 09:00

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Lando Norris is one of the youngest drivers on the F1 grid, but that doesn't mean that he'll avoid physical issues.

The 24-year-old has spent enough time in the sport to go at least through one set of regulation changes, having an experience with many different cars.

As a result, the McLaren driver is able to see and compare the impact the cars have on his body, and when it comes to the latest generation of the cars, they are not ideal in regards to the driver's health.

It was certainly not the car that made the British driver jump the start in Saudi Arabia, but it may have been overall toll on his body that contributed to the incorrect decision.

As quoted by Motorsport.com, Norris thinks that teams often focus only on developing the fastest possible cars without looking into how they affect the drivers and their health.

"I think it does need to be improved a little bit - because the teams just make the quickest cars, and then we drive them. There's certain times when it starts to have a toll. It's definitely not as bad as what it was two years ago."

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Norris thinks that there were improvements made over the past two years, but in an attempt to chase the fastest lap time possible, teams still run setups that don't help the drivers to preserve their bodies.

"Things have improved since then, with porpoising and all of this. But you still have to run the cars extremely low and stiff, and all of these things. And this takes a toll on you."

The 24-year-old admitted that he struggles with back pain. As a result, he has to do many exercises, something he didn't have to do only a couple years ago.

"I struggle a lot with my body and back and all of these things. And I have to do a lot now, which I didn't have to do a few years ago."

That's why Norris wants to see improvements not only from the F1's side, but also when it comes to the teams, in an overall effort to help the drivers deal with the demands of the sport better.

"I wouldn't say it's directly because of the car, I think a little of it is just naturally for me I have to work on it, but I think things in the long term need to be improved, especially if I want to be here for many years."