Why undaunted Norris is happy to ‘take the same risks’ after Spa F1 crash

The McLaren driver suffered a scary high-speed shunt at the start of Q3 in Spa-Francorchamps when he lost control of his car in wet conditions on the approach to Eau Rouge and was speared into the barriers at Raidillon.

Norris escaped the accident unharmed and was cleared to race after getting the all-clear from a precautionary x-ray of his elbow in hospital.

Ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, the 21-year-old Briton admitted his heavy crash would have had a bigger impact on his confidence had it occurred earlier in his F1 career.

“It is my third year and I’m a lot more experienced,” Norris explained. “But more importantly I have a lot more confidence this year than the last two years.

“I am just in a better place mentally and in the state of where I am in F1. I was pushing and taking risks and stuff, and I know it was for a good reason away that I crashed.

“Coming to this weekend, if was last year I would’ve been a lot more worried and being a lot more cautious. But I don’t feel like I did anything wrong with my approach that qualifying or that lap.

“I’m happy to do exactly the same and take the same risks this weekend.”

Norris said he was feeling very comfortable in his car prior to the accident and insisted he is not dwelling on the prospect of a potentially lost pole position after topping both Q1 and Q2.

“The wet conditions are where a driver can show more of their potential. It is not as dependent on the car as in dry conditions,” Norris said. “It is where you can make bigger differences, and take bigger risks, and I was in a very confident place.

“I was there in F3 in the wet, and was pretty quick, so my knowledge and confidence was high and I knew what I needed to do to be quick. Until that point I did not think I was taking any extraordinary risks.

“I was at one with the car and confidence with the braking and things like that, which can make a massive difference in the wet. The car was giving me the confidence to be able to do it.

“I don’t know if I would’ve got pole, every situation is different," he continued. "The conditions were changing, but the wetter it was the better we were in the quicker we were relative to a lot of people. And I want to be confident I could’ve had a very good result.

“I would hate to say I could have been on pole because I would’ve missed out on not a win because it would not class it as an outright win, but ending up 14th where I was makes me feel a lot sadder.”

Asked how he is physically, Norris added: “I am back to as good as I can be. Slightly bruised but nothing what is worth complaining about, to make me look like a hero.

“All good. A few days of recovery, nice to have some days to relax and getting back to it. I’m just excited for this weekend.”