Norris: Shortened season may require more aggressive approach

McLaren driver Lando Norris believes that drivers will take a more aggressive approach this season due to fewer races as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic.

The season, which is due to kick off in Austria on July 5th, has eight races penned for summer across Europe with the possibility of further races added if the plans for races in Asia and the Americas fail to go ahead.

Speaking to Autosport, Norris spoke about the postponed season, stating that such a compact season will make himself and other drivers become more aggressive on track when racing resumes.

"That's something I need to speak through with my engineers and work out as a team what's best for us and what's best for me," Norris said.

"There's obviously things I need to improve on anyway and I'm confident I can do a better job in, that's something more for Austria and when we know what our pace is like.

"If it was just eight races obviously you probably would take those few more risks but I'm confident that it's probably going to be more races than that, whether they will be flyaways or back in Europe I'm not too sure yet."

Sim racers won't have an edge in Austria

Norris also responded to recent comments about drivers who actively compete in sim racing will have more of an advantage with racing gets underway in Austria, saying that he does not agree.

Norris, who competes in events online such as the recent virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Virtual Grand Prix series, argues that drivers might be slightly better in some aspects but that it will not make a difference in the long run.

"They [sim racers] will have a slight advantage in some areas but it's not going to be night and day, you're not just going to see the sim racers do miles better than the guys who haven't done any sim racing," Norris said.

"It's very small differences and it might be we get back into it a lap before or something like that but nothing else.

"There's going to be little things, work with the engineers and stuff like that which you might be a little bit more ahead with initially, but the drivers are so good nowadays that they can jump in and after two or three laps we can be back on the pace of what you were previously so it makes a small difference but it's not going to be huge."