Peter Windsor tells 199-point F1 driver he needs to ‘get out of Monaco’

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Nine of the 20 drivers on the Formula 1 grid currently reside in Monaco. It’s a group that includes reigning world champion Max Verstappen and F1’s most successful driver Lewis Hamilton.

Charles Leclerc, who’s just the third Monegasque driver in the sport’s history, also lives in the principality. He finally claimed his first win on home soil at the end of May.

McLaren’s Lando Norris is another to have moved there, joining former teammate Daniel Ricciardo and compatriot George Russell. Valtteri Bottas, Nico Hulkenberg and Alex Albon complete the list.

Monaco is home to perhaps the most iconic circuit on the Formula 1 calendar, of course. But perhaps its main attraction is that the government doesn’t charge income tax.

Beyond that, strict privacy laws suit the drivers. They don’t have to worry about being relentlessly photographed as they would elsewhere.

But speaking on the Cameron F1 YouTube channel, Peter Windsor has urged one driver to leave. He feels it would be best for his career.

Peter Windsor urges Lando Norris to move to UK

In the eyes of Windsor, Norris needs a reset. He should swap Monte Carlo for a property near the McLaren factory in Woking.

This would enable him to become a ‘completely different’, grittier person. And that may be the change that’s required to win a world championship.

Norris is currently second in the standings with 199 points, 78 behind Verstappen. It looks extremely unlikely that he’ll be able to win the 2024 title from here.

Much of the damage was done in the first five races when Verstappen and Red Bull were dominant. Since then, the Dutchman has only outscored Norris by 26 points, but the overall gap could still be much smaller if McLaren had made the most of their opportunities.

“Get out of Monaco,” Windsor said. “Go and live in a house in some urban area, maybe near the factory. Become a completely different person. Just become hard and as tough as nails. That’s what he needs to do.”

What Lando Norris privately said about McLaren team orders in Hungary

Windsor isn’t the only one who believes Norris needs a lifestyle change to reach the next level. Ralf Schumacher has told the McLaren man to hire a psychological coach, much like Nico Rosberg once did, to improve how he operates under pressure.

Norris has qualified on pole twice this season (Spain and Hungary) but lost the lead into turn one on both occasions. In Belgium last weekend, he ran wide on the exit of La Source and effectively took himself out of victory contention.

Martin Brundle says Norris looked unhappy at Spa, and he suspects the events of Budapest were still playing on his mind. The 24-year-old agreed to let teammate Oscar Piastri through for the race win after an instruction from McLaren.

During a conversation in France, Norris told Giedo van der Garde that this was a mistake. If a similar situation arises in the future, he may show more of a ruthless streak.