Lando Norris’s public self-criticism isn’t weakness — it’s the mindset of a winner, says McLaren boss Andrea Stella after a tough race.
Self-criticism isn’t always a weakness, especially when it comes from someone aiming to win.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has spoken out in support of Lando Norris, defending the British driver’s tendency to be openly hard on himself, even after a tough weekend on track.
While his teammate Oscar Piastri, who claimed pole position and victory in Bahrain, is often praised for his calm, stoic demeanor, Norris wears his emotions on his sleeve. After what Stella called a “messy weekend,” Norris was once again vocal about his own performance.
But Stella, who has worked with some of F1’s greatest champions like Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen, and Fernando Alonso, sees this as a familiar pattern.
“I’ve never seen a top-level athlete — let alone a Formula 1 driver or world champion — feel completely at ease when the car isn’t doing what they need it to,” Stella explained when asked about Norris’ post-race comments. “What Lando does isn’t out of the ordinary. In fact, I’d say he handles it with more style than most.”
What makes Norris stand out, Stella says, is how publicly open he is about his mistakes — something often misread as a mental weakness.
“He puts it all out there. He’s very self-critical in interviews. But I’ve seen other champions who, in similar situations, would shift the blame elsewhere.”
According to Stella, Norris’ approach — taking responsibility rather than pointing fingers — actually builds strength within a team.
“Take Q3, for example. He didn’t complete the lap and immediately said it was on him, even though we made changes to the car that didn’t help. Some drivers would’ve blamed the team straight away. That’s not healthy. That’s not the foundation of a strong team.”
Norris has also spoken up for himself, saying that what people often interpret as weakness is really just frustration when he falls short of his own goals.
“I’m deeply driven. I have a strong desire to succeed and a huge ambition to win,” Norris said. “That’s all it is. I don’t think my honesty works against me. I’ve always expressed myself like this — and I know how to shut out the noise when I need to.”
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Norris Owns His Mistakes, And Stella Says That’s Elite Norris Owns His Mistakes, And Stella Says That’s Elite
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