Lando Norris believes his friend and fellow racer George Russell has become more serious since joining Mercedes.
Russell earned his shot with the Silver Arrows after impressing in his three-year spell with Williams. And his strong form has continued, with top-five finishes in every race he has completed so far in 2022 – the exception being at the British Grand Prix, where he was taken out in a crash on the first lap.
He has even out-scored Lewis Hamilton, earning praise from many as a result, including from the seven-time world champion himself and the man whose seat he took, former Mercedes racer Valtteri Bottas. Norris is also very proud of his friend, who he believes has had to adapt his personality to fit in better with his new surroundings.
"I think it was impressive before, but the job he's done against Lewis and so on, and just going to a bigger team, there's always more pressure, more nerves, I think he's lived up to that part very well," said the McLaren ace. "He's been super consistent and everything. So it's been impressive to see probably more that side of it, how he's always there, pretty much apart from I guess, Silverstone, that was the worst weekend he's had.
"I think it's more people change just because of the pressure and nerves of being in F1 and being with different teams, and the environment that you're in, I think that kind of affects people. Not for like a good reason or a bad reason. But I guess you feel a bit more free when you're in say, a team that struggles and does well, you always feel a bit more like 'I'm on top of things' and so on. And you want to look like that kind of guy, in a way.
"And when you go to a bigger team, you don't ever want to feel like anyone can see that you make any mistakes, and therefore you feel like you want to act a bit more straightforward, a bit more proper, and don't want to joke around as much, things like that. So not someone changing, say purposely, but just because of the environment that you're in, it can affect the way people act and are portrayed I guess on cameras and TV and things like that."
Norris' latest assessment of Russell comes after he claimed his friend had changed since making the move to the Silver Arrows. "My manager, my trainer, my parents, have always tried to keep me as me, rather than try to shape me," he said. "I see other drivers get shaped more because of who they are with, the teams they are with, and I don't think that is a good thing. It takes away their personality.
"Growing up with George for instance, was a lot of fun. He was a great person, but it is different at Mercedes – a different vibe and a different atmosphere. I just don't see as fun a side of him. George is a great person, and I feel like the personality he had a few years ago, he would be even more popular. I don’t think it is Mercedes' fault but the pressure of being with Mercedes, and having Lewis as a team-mate, is never going to be an easy thing."
