Lando Norris suggested he would realise his life goal by winning the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship and even joked he may emulate Nico Rosberg and walk away after clinching his first title.
The British driver has been locked in a head-to-head battle with McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri throughout the season as the pair duel to win their maiden championship.
Norris has returned from the sport’s summer break nine points adrift of the Australian after winning three of the last four races.
With 10 rounds of the championship remaining, including this weekend’s showdown in Zandvoort, Norris accepts that the race for the crown now feels “real”.
German Nico Rosberg famously walked away from the sport after triumphing in a fierce title battle with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in 2016.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton spoke this weekend about attempting to recapture the fun of driving in Formula One after his struggles during his debut season with Ferrari.
“For Lewis, he’s won so much,” Norris said. “He probably has achieved the title of being one of the best ever in Formula One.
“Especially if you’re now not winning, it’s hard to… I’m enjoying this season a lot more now because I’m winning – than the last few seasons when we were not winning.
“That’s just because you want success and you want to be on top. It’s better for everyone in any sport you ever do.
“You’re always going to be happier when you’re winning than when you’re not. I think it’s hard to do when you’re not winning.
“That’s why probably sometimes it’s good to go out when you’ve won, like Nico.”
Pushed on whether he would consider calling it quits should he win the title this season, the 25-year-old said: “No, I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe. I might not be here next year. You never know.”
Norris has spent the summer break trying to get away from the intensity of the championship fight.
He spent a large chunk of it on the golf course, adding: “For me, anyway, it’s really about trying to forget that I drive.
“Try to think I’m a golfer and really just take my mind completely away from it.”
Norris referenced Rory McIlroy’s admission that he struggled for motivation after ending his long wait for a Masters win to complete the career grand slam this season.
“Rory said it after winning the Masters. His life goal was to achieve that. That can be it for some people,” the McLaren man added.
“When you achieve your life goal, then you’re like ‘well, I’ve worked for a number of years to try and achieve a Masters win’.
“Then you feel like you don’t enjoy some of the other things maybe as much.”
Norris has returned from the summer shutdown focused and ready for the challenge of becoming world champion.
“It feels real, like you’re actually fighting for a championship, which is a cool feeling, because it’s my first,” he added.
“Yeah, it feels pretty special. You also know every single weekend is important, it means a lot.”
