Norris considering riskier approach to races in shortened season

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McLaren's Lando Norris says the shortened 2020 campaign might require drivers to change their approach to the season and possibly take more risks on race day.

Formula 1 has confirmed its summer schedule, with eight races set to take place from July to September. But Liberty Media is working hard to add more events, including a possible double-header in China.

The abbreviated season will mean that there will be little margin for error this year, but Norris is still contemplating a more aggressive approach to his race weekends.

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"That's something I need to speak through with my engineers and work out as a team what's best for us and what's best for me," he told Motorsport.com.

"There's obviously things I need to improve on anyway and I'm confident I can do a better job in, that's something more for Austria and when we know what our pace is like.

"If it was just eight races obviously you probably would take those few more risks but I'm confident that it's probably going to be more races than that, whether they will be flyaways or back in Europe I'm not too sure yet."

As an avid sim racer, Norris has kept himself busy in the virtual world, racing in multiple categories along with several of his F1 colleagues, like Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon or Max Verstappen.

2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg suggested that those who spent countless hours racing online might have an edge when the curtain raises in Austria.

But Norris doubts his fellow sim racers and himself will have a significant advantage.

"They [sim racers] will have a slight advantage in some areas but it's not going to be night and day, you're not just going to see the sim racers do miles better than the guys who haven't done any sim racing," he insisted.

"It's very small differences and it might be we get back into it a lap before or something like that but nothing else.

"There's going to be little things, work with the engineers and stuff like that which you might be a little bit more ahead with initially, but the drivers are so good nowadays that they can jump in and after two or three laps we can be back on the pace of what you were previously so it makes a small difference but it's not going to be huge."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.