2016 Champion Nico Rosberg shared advice he gave McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris in a private message.
Former F1 driver Nico Rosberg already advised Lando Norris to change his approach to self-criticism last year when he said he identified signs of mental struggle in the 24-year-old Papaya driver.
Norris is often highly critical of himself on team radios during races and interviews when asked how he felt about his performance. Even during the most recent Italian Grand Prix weekend, the British driver qualified on pole, but he apologized to his team on the radio for how he messed up the lap.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the 16th round of the season at Monza Circuit, Rosberg revealed he had already texted Norris, trying to help him with the psychological aspect of being an F1 driver.
"They [sports psychologists] will tell you that you really start to believe what you say. And that's why I wrote Lando a DM because I thought that my experience could be interesting for him because I've been through all that."
"Because for him, the glass is always half empty rather than half full. He's very authentic, which, of course, is lovely, but you can be authentic and be glass half full rather than half empty."
The 2016 Word Champion also pointed out Norris's reaction following his final flying lap during qualifying at Monza Circuit. He said:
The best example was the qualifying lap [in Monza]. Look, Lando puts it on pole and focuses his post-qualifying talk a lot on, 'I messed up the beginning of my lap, and it was a scruffy lap, and I apologise to the team. I was down after turn one and two...'"
"But he could have just as much said, 'Actually, most of the lap was perfect. So awesome we're on pole position.'"
"Both are the truth, but he decided to focus on his mistake and on the bad part of it, which was just the turn one and two, and not really so much on the rest, which was absolutely awesome, world championship driving, world-class."
"So both ways would have been the truth and authentic, and it's just a matter of how you put it out there."
Another former F1 driver, Ralf Schumacher, advised Lando Norris earlier this season to find a psychologist, as he believed it might benefit the 24-year-old's performance and results.
Norris addressed the topics of confidence and self-criticism earlier in the season, saying that's how he's (highly critical towards himself) ever since he started go-karting and that he himself doesn't see it as negative.
What do you think? Would less self-criticism benefit the 24-year-old McLaren driver, or should he stick with his current authentic approach?
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