Lando Norris, McLaren, Silverstone, 2021

Ricciardo’s a strong all-rounder who’ll challenge me in every area – Norris

2021 F1 season

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Lando Norris says Daniel Ricciardo’s arrival at McLaren gives him an opportunity to learn from a new and more experienced team mate who is a strong-all-rounder.

Ricciardo is “good in probably every single area” as a driver, said Norris. His only previous F1 team mate, Carlos Sainz Jnr, has moved to Ferrari this year.

Norris said he hopes to “learn a little bit more from a different driver, get to know someone who has a different approach on things and not kind of just get in the same habits that you get to know from one particular driver.”

“I only see it as a positive,” Norris added. “He can win races, he can score podiums. So it’s good for me to kind of just experience something different within Formula 1.”

Norris’ change of team mate comes as he enters his third season in F1. “You get used to working with one particular way or style with that other driver,” he explained. “So to kind of switch it up and get to know someone different, learn how he approaches his races and his whole mindset of Formula 1 is also going to be very interesting. So it’s good for me.

“I can learn from him but also it’s going to be a different way of working with him, compared to how I worked with Carlos in terms of helping the team out and working together as team mates rather than the way I used to work with things with Carlos.”

Lando Norris, McLaren, Silverstone, 2021
Norris was first to drive new Mercedes-powered MCL35M
Norris and Ricciardo drove the team’s new car for the first time yesterday. Speaking ahead of the test, Norris said he “will already be able to take things away from just doing a few laps, learning from him, learning from his feedback, and things on the simulator already I’ve been able to pick up on.”

The only pre-season test will take place over three days at Bahrain International Circuit next month.

“In terms of how and where he’s going to push me more than ever, it’s difficult to know until we get into the proper pre-season test and we get into the first race because that’s when everything kind of comes alive a little bit more and people show their true colours.

“I’m sure it’s going to be basically every area where he’s pushing me and hopefully I’ll be pushing him, too.”

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Josh Holland
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24 comments on “Ricciardo’s a strong all-rounder who’ll challenge me in every area – Norris”

  1. Should be an exciting match up. Norris was very much on Sainz’s level right from his rookie season, so it will be interesting to see whether he can take it up a notch and take the fight to Ricciardo. Norris should grow a lot more from Daniel’s experience, so it should be good for him.

    If I had to predict, Daniel will narrowly out qualify Norris throughout the season, and will have the more impressive Sundays as well, however, Norris will probably be more consistent and make lesser errors, so the points total will be closer than expected, but in Daniel’s favour.

    1. Yeah, that prediction seems quite likely to come through. And Norris can be happy with that if it does. And the team and fas as well.

      1. Just curious as to why you think Norris will be more consistent and error free than ricciardo?

        I see dan as one of the most consistent and reliable drivers in f1. Is it the change of team or the expected improvement from Norris?

        I personally can’t wait for this match up, particularly after a couple of races once dan is up to speed with the new team… most exciting team mates IMO

        bring on the new season

    2. If I had to predict Norris will ocasionally beat Daniel in Q and will have to benefit from Dan’s misfortunes to outscore Ricciardo.

      1. @peartree My prediction is exactly the opposite, with Norris outshining Ricciardo. I think Lando is underrated.

        1. @tflb I like Lando but Sainz is not a good reference.

          1. @peartree See, I rate Sainz as at least as good as Ricciardo. But I know we’re not going to see eye to eye on that…

          2. @tflb hulk routed carlos and dan had an edge on hulk.

          3. @peartree if we’re using that logic – Kvyat beat Ricciardo, and Sainz demolished Kvyat.

          4. @tflb except that never happened. Kvyat/ricciardo and vettel/kimi were the 2 most uneven pairings at the time with kvyat ricciardo the worst .4 on avg between the 2 drivers. Reliability is not on the driver, we are not in 1967.

          5. @peartree it did happen though, Kvyat is unfairly maligned. Anyway, qualifying doesn’t matter to you I thought – otherwise how do you explain Sainz out-qualifying Verstappen?

          6. @tflb it matters and sainz did not beat max on average gap

  2. Maybe i am being unfair but I don’t know what happens to Lando’s career if he loses this one. He knows the team, he knows the car so there is no excuse. Come year 3 you have to get the job done.

    Lando’s comes across as this loveable puppy but that wins very little and so far he isn’t winning the battle he needs to.

    Both need to win this one. Little bit like Daniel vs Nico H. The loser was going to struggle to move forward.

    1. Losing out to a highly rated proven race winner, podium contender and driver with a decade of experience is not the career killer you think it is 85Q

  3. “I can learn from him but also it’s going to be a different way of working with him, compared to how I worked with Carlos in terms of helping the team out and working together as team mates rather than the way I used to work with things with Carlos.”

    This ties in with how Sainz is saying how he learned to be more sharing at McLaren, which all confirms my guess that Sainz is really not the sharing type and will probably revert to his old ways at Ferrari.

    1. Maybe Sainz learnt the sharing thing and went to Ferrari because they want him to learn them how to have some team spirit in that way too @balue, we all know they badly need that!

      1. @bascb No Leclerc has all of that already. Remember he even drove with a Vettel tribute on his helmet. I think Ferrari rather thought that Sainz has been kicked around most teams and with nowhere to go and still young will be a solid pair of hands for years to come. Of course they liked that he had been ‘educated’ at McLaren, but my guess is that Sainz will immediately start fighting Leclerc to avoid becoming a no. 2 which is (was) the Ferrari way.

        1. Leclerc being nice to his teammate has literally nothing to do with the team work functioning.

  4. I really like Nando and hope to see him in the sport fit a long time. But what’s going to happen is this. Dan is going to wipe the floor with him. Dan is head and shoulders above what Carlos is, at least it won’t be for nothing as Nando will see what it takes to be top draw in this sport.

  5. Got to say I have a soft spot for Norris. Yes, he’s a rich man’s kid, but a humble team player who even helps the mechanics on the floor out. Then there’s coming forward with his mental issues (extremely risky admission), and supporting that unpopular cause, but mostly how he despite that still managed to match his team mate straight away and put in some good performances. His last laps in Austria last year to get the podium was top notch stuff, and I think there’s more to come. I doubt he will match Ricciardo, but hopefully it will be close.

  6. I think it could be a hard year for Ricciardo – Norris did quite well against Sainz (who I rate as at least as good as Ricciardo) and is only going to get better. Unpopular opinion, I know, but it’ll be interesting to watch.

  7. What he should learn is how to use a mask, if not he’ll get the virus again.

    1. Also what he should learn is NEVER insult a driver…ever again, or he’ll be mocked for the rest of his life.

  8. Gonna be close.

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