Why Norris no longer uses delta display in qualifying

Lando Norris has revealed a subtle but significant change that has reshaped his Formula 1 approach – and arguably helped him storm to victory in Mexico City.

After a dominant weekend at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Norris reclaimed the lead of the drivers’ championship from his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by a single point with four races to go.

In the aftermath of his sixth win of the season, the Briton opened up on a crucial engineering debrief in Singapore that led to set-up changes that helped him restore his feeling in his MCL39. But he also shed light on a steering wheel tweak that has transformed his qualifying performance.

No Delta, No Limits

During qualifying, F1 drivers rely heavily on the delta function displayed on their steering wheel. It shows how a driver’s current sector times compare to their best lap, giving instant feedback on whether they are ahead or behind pace.

Most drivers treat it as an essential tool. Norris, however, has turned that notion on its head.

“I’ve not had it since Monaco,” he explained, quoted by Crash.net. “I’ve never used the delta since in qualifying. Who knows if it would have helped me or made me worse?”

For Norris, removing the delta wasn’t a technological oversight – it was a deliberate strategy to focus on the driving itself.

Push, No Matter What

Without the delta’s guidance, Norris has seemingly found a newfound freedom behind the wheel.

"I think the thing when I don’t have it is, I push no matter what - no matter how the start of the lap was, no matter how any corner was,” he added.

“I guess it’s because you have no reference of maybe the overall lap time, you just always try and maximise every corner to the maximum."

The absence of the delta, he says, also prevents the distraction that sometimes hinders drivers in high-pressure moments.

“Otherwise sometimes I just stare at it too much, and that’s never the best thing. It's just nice because normally when it goes well, it’s a pleasant surprise to see the lap time pop up when it’s as good as this one.”

• Read also: The crucial debrief that allowed Norris to reconnect with McLaren

By turning off the live lap-time feedback, Norris ensures that every corner counts and every lap is treated as an opportunity to extract maximum performance – without the psychological weight of chasing a target in real time.

By relying on instinct, rhythm, and precision rather than the numerical guidance of the delta, Norris has added a new dimension to his qualifying game. And it paid off nicely in Mexico City.

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