F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Norris underwent two-day sim session after Sochi defeat

Lando Norris says he worked intensively for two days in McLaren's simulator to understand along with his team the events that led to his painful defeat in the Russian Grand Prix.

Norris was holding a commanding lead in Sochi when a late downpour turned the race on its side. The McLaren driver was preparing to fend off Lewis Hamilton in the final laps of the race when the rain blew in.

While the Mercedes charger made a timely switch to the intermediate tyre, Norris pressed on with his slick rubber only to be caught and overhauled by the seven-time world champion when conditions worsened.

After the distressing epilogue, both team and driver vowed to learn and improve from the disappointing outcome.

The next day, Norris was up and running with his crew in McLaren's simulator for several prolonged and productive sessions.

"I've learned of course many things: things for myself, what I could do better next time, if we're in exactly the same situation again, and how can I make better decisions," Norris told Motorsport.com during the launch in Adria this week of his LN Racing Kart.

"But also with the team: it’s how can we communicate better. How can we talk, so that the team gives me more information as well, in order to make decisions.

"The thing is, it is so complicated. When you just watch TV it looks so simple, and it looks like the easiest decision in the world. You feel like sometimes you can just make an easy decision.

"But it's really not that simple. And there's so many things which have to take place for you to make a good decision and the correct decision."

Norris says that his sim sessions in Woking were broad and comprehensive, and addressed every aspect of last Sunday's events in Sochi.

"We reviewed everything, the whole race: even from lap one to the very end. But of course, more importantly, the last 10 laps," he said.

"What can I do better to help the team and what can the team do better to help me? We spent two days on the simulator, and one day reviewing everything with the communication, and how we talk to each other to try and do a better job next time.

"I'm not going to say what I've learned, necessarily, but I've learned a lot, and the team has learned a lot. It's not a guarantee, but hopefully we'll do a better job next time."

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Michael Delaney

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