Keeping your cool on track is one of the most important attributes of a Formula 1 driver.
It’s something Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda in particular struggled with at the beginning of their careers.
However, there are different ways of staying calm in the car, both in terms of your communication with your team, your battles with others on the track and the strategy decisions you make.
Commentating on the Spanish Grand Prix for Sky Sports F1, Karun Chandhok and David Croft admitted one driver in particular has impressed them with their temperament this year.
Verstappen was the man who took the chequered flag in Barcelona after a phenomenal performance in a race where he arguably didn’t have the fastest car.
George Russell may be disappointed not to have pipped teammate Lewis Hamilton to a place on the podium after his emphatic overtaking move into the first corner.
However, Chandhok and Croft praised the calmness of Lando Norris during the race after failing to convert his pole position into a second race victory.
After 114 races, Norris has accumulated plenty of experience and his radio calls throughout the Grand Prix proved how far he’s come.
READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from height and parents to celebration
Lando Norris praised for being calmer this season
After losing out to Verstappen and Russell at the start, Norris had to change strategy if he was going to win the race.
While the Dutchman quickly cleared the Mercedes driver, Norris lost more time behind his fellow countryman and had to come up with an alternative plan.
He ran longer in the first stint despite how powerful the undercut was in Spain and retook several positions to return to second and start to cut into Verstappen’s lead.
However, there was a pivotal moment during the second phase of the race when he was faced with a choice.
Asked by the McLaren pit wall if he wanted to pit earlier after Verstappen came in or extend his stint, Norris said: “It depends if we’re here to finish first or third?”
Norris didn’t run for as long before changing tyres for the final time, compromising and ultimately protecting what he had while giving himself the best chance possible of winning.
It was a decision that demonstrates he’s calmer and more measured this season than in previous years when the opportunity to win would have been chased no matter the risks.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine
Lando Norris developing into one of F1’s quickest drivers
Talking about the one-time race winner, Croft said: “One of the things that has impressed me a lot about Lando Norris in the last season and a half is how much calmer he is during the race, how much he now starts to think about the long game, rather than the instant moment.”
Chandhok added: “I agree, there’s a calmness and maturity with Lando.
“I think certainly this year we’ve seen that, even yesterday when he got pole, he was happy of course, but he was very pragmatic about it, OK looking forward to the race now, this is what we’ve got to do.
“So yeah, certainly that has come in.”
It’s easy to forget that Norris is just 24 years old and was the fifth-youngest driver in F1 history when he made his debut.
He’s since gone on to mature quickly and lead one of the most historic teams on the grid alongside a rapid young teammate in Oscar Piastri.
The rate of development McLaren have accomplished over the past 12 months means they could be the fastest team on the grid by the end of the campaign if not sooner.
And while Verstappen can extract the absolute maximum out of his Red Bull, Norris could be on for several more race wins this year if he can keep his cool.
The post ‘Impressed me’: David Croft and Karun Chandhok love how much calmer 114-race driver is this season appeared first on F1 Oversteer.