Norris counts on Daniel Ricciardo to “become a better driver”

Starting in 2021, Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris will be teammates at McLaren. A highly promising explosive duo due to their impressive speed but also their personalities that often light up the F1 paddock.

Daniel Ricciardo takes the place of Carlos Sainz, who has left for Ferrari. The Spaniard had a very good working dynamic with Norris, which really helped McLaren rebuild and establish itself as the best of the rest by finishing 3rd in the 2020 championship. The goal for the former Renault driver will be to help the Woking team improve by bringing his experience as a Grand Prix winner.

The Australian will also take on a role as a mentor but also as a rival to Lando Norris. The Briton is only in his 3rd F1 season, while Daniel Ricciardo is in his 11th and is surely one of the top 5 drivers on the grid. He could notably help the Briton with his race pace, which, although very good, is not as fast as his qualifying pace, so much so that he sometimes finishes a race in a lower position than he started on the grid.

Lando Norris is very excited to start working with the Perth native: « I’m happy, but I know I have things to do, things to improve, and it will certainly help me and motivate me to keep improving. Working alongside Daniel will also help me become a better driver. »

If the two drivers manage to build a good relationship, there’s no guarantee it will last over time. Indeed, the Sainz-Norris duo worked so well because the young Englishman was still in a learning phase, which might not necessarily be the case from mid-2021 when Norris is expected to be much more mature in his driving style. If the two often end up battling on the track, there’s no assurance that their situation won’t deteriorate.