LANDO NORRIS ‘love of golf has brought a whole new meaning to’ Drive to Survive ‘.
The McLaren rider started the sport in 2019 and warmed up for today’s British GP by playing it with major winner and fellow Brit Justin Rose earlier this week.
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And he says being a rider to swing one helps him deal with the pressure to lead one of Formula One’s most successful teams.
The 22-year-old tells SonSport: “Taking on golf has helped me a lot.
“When you can go there and it’s just you, the club and the ball, you stop thinking about all the other problems.
“Because it is so difficult, all you think about is your swing or where to place the ball to strive to be more perfect than the last time.
“From a spiritual point of view, it absolutely helps me.
“It is very different from F1, but the one thing it has in common is the constant pursuit of perfection.
“Golf teaches you to deal with frustration quickly, to put it behind you and drive is the same.”
The Briton started playing golf with his former McLaren team-mate Carlos Sainz and managed to get his handicap index to an honorable 13.
It was about the same time that Norris opened up about his struggle after revealing the toll his F1 debut year had on him that led to him getting help from the mental health organization Mind.
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He explained: “I kept asking myself, ‘Am I good enough to be here?’
“I came to the point that I did not want to be near anyone and just wanted to be alone.
“I did not know what to do, but I started working with Mind and it helped me.
“They taught me how to combat it, but I also talked to my friends.”
Norris’ work with Mind led his team McLaren to team up with the charity to launch a ‘One Lap for Mind’ initiative challenging fans to walk, run or cycle the distance from the Silverstone track .
While becoming an F1 world champion and being a scratch golfer on his agenda, Norris is also proud to reach out to his fans who have experienced similar mental problems.
He added: “It has come to the point where I can feel I can use my platform to help others.
“People can identify with it and it makes them feel they are not alone.
“This is the first step to feeling better and being in a better place.
“I get messages of thanks and some people said I saved their lives, it makes me feel happy I spoke, because even if it was just one person, it makes it amazing.
“I do not want to be just a hunter who just runs around and then in five, ten years he is gone.
“I do want to be a role model for people and a guy who has an impact on people.
“I look up to Lewis [Hamilton] in that way, because he is also the greatest racer ever, but also a role model away from the track. ”
SMS LAP to 70145 to donate £ 5.00 to Mental Health Charity Mind ‘or online here.
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