Jenson Button is a big fan of Lando Norris, but the 2009 F1 world champion believes the McLaren driver is too critical of himself, which is a psychological weakness he needs to defeat.
Norris has established himself as one of Formula 1's most promising young stars in recent years.
His impressive performances in 2021 and 2022, where he consistently outperformed his experienced teammate Daniel Ricciardo, paved the way for McLaren's resurgence in 2023.
However, despite his undeniable talent, the 24-year-old Briton has also displayed moments of self-doubt and fragility, particularly in qualifying sessions.
One notable instance occurred last October in Qatar, where he relinquished a potential pole position, allowing teammate Oscar Piastri to claim victory in the sprint race.
This setback led to a period of intense self-criticism on Norris's part. But Button insists that grappling with concerns about his perceived inadequacies will only weigh on his performances.
“Lando is an extreme talent, he really is,” Button told Sky Sports.
“I’ve watched him since the first time he turned an F1 steering wheel, which was in Hungary, because I was racing for the team at the time.
©McLaren
“And it’s amazing how quickly he got to grips with it. But also, he’s a real thinker and sometimes that hurts him because he looks at himself too much and worries that he’s not good enough.
“But he is. He’s exceptional and I can't wait to see him in equipment that can fight for victories. But I'm not sure when that's going to come.”
Button's F1 journey is often cited as an example of perseverance and delayed gratification. Despite making his debut in 2000, Button waited until 2006 – six long years – to secure his first Formula 1 victory.
This remarkable achievement demonstrated the fifteen-time Grand Prix winner’s unwavering commitment and ability to overcome early setbacks.
Similarly, has embarked on a promising F1 career that has yet to reach its pinnacle. Entering his seventh season in the sport, the McLaren charger remains eager to claim his first victory.
“It’s tough with the way that it is, with having such a dominant driver, team, that only one guy can win,” Button said.
“You know if you can be second to that it’s a good starting point. But you hope it doesn’t go on forever.
“He’s not going to leave the sport because he’s not won a race. So he’s going to stay there and he’s going to keep fighting for those victories and that want isn’t going to go away and that drive isn’t going to go either.
“He’s still got to beat his team-mate. He’s still got to beat all the other guys on the grid. It’s painful when there’s such a dominant team for so many years but it changes.
“We’ve seen it change with Mercedes. I didn’t think anyone was going to beat them in the next 10 years, but they did. Red Bull came in and they’ve beaten them. So it happens.”
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