Lando Norris Warns of Dark Struggle That’s Hard to Escape

Lando Norris has faced growing pressure during the 2025 Formula 1 season as a series of mistakes has put his championship hopes in jeopardy. After an incident-filled Canadian Grand Prix, former world champion Nico Rosberg shared his concerns, warning that repeated errors could push Norris into a “really dark” mental space that would be hard to recover from.

Norris’s season has been marked by missed opportunities, such as qualifying missteps in Montreal, which left him starting seventh on the grid at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

During the Canadian Grand Prix, Norris found himself in a tense battle with McLaren teammate and direct title rival Oscar Piastri.

A critical moment unfolded late in the race, when Norris made a strong move at the Turn 10 hairpin, setting up a challenge down the long straight.

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As he closed in, Norris collided with Piastri on the start-finish straight and crashed out after hitting the wall.

The incident ended Norris’s race on lap 65 and raised questions about his mental resilience as the stakes continue to rise.

Nico Rosberg, who battled his own struggles before becoming champion in 2016, knows firsthand how cycles of mistakes can affect a driver’s confidence.

On Sky Sports F1, Rosberg said these events could create a “negative spiral” for Norris, where doubts multiply and the pressure mounts even further.

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The public nature of Norris’s errors, especially when teammates are involved, only adds to the difficulty of moving forward.

Rosberg’s warning comes from personal experience, having faced intense scrutiny during his fight against Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.

In the aftermath, Norris quickly apologized to Piastri, who managed to finish fourth after the contact.

Team principal Andrea Stella is expected to address the issue with Norris in a constructive way.

According to Rosberg, the situation is easier to navigate for McLaren management since the incident was clearly Norris’s fault and Piastri avoided damage.

Consensus in the paddock pointed to Norris’s attempted pass as being overly ambitious and “super strange,” as Rosberg described it, making this yet another big mistake in what is fast becoming a pattern.

The championship standings after Montreal show Oscar Piastri leading with 198 points, Norris following at 176, and Max Verstappen next at 155.

McLaren holds a commanding position in the team standings with 374 points, well ahead of Mercedes and Ferrari.

With a close race between teammates, tensions are high as both drivers fight for the top spot, and every error could have major implications for the driver’s title, just as each point matters for the team’s overall lead.

Norris’s challenge will now be to reset before the next race at Austria’s Red Bull Ring on June 29.

The pressure to perform and avoid further mistakes is greater than ever, especially with Piastri and Verstappen closing in.

For Norris, regaining composure and belief will be key as the season reaches its crucial phase.

How he responds could determine whether he remains in contention for his first world championship.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.