Norris already learning from Ricciardo in McLaren F1 simulator
Lando Norris has revealed he is already picking up pointers from Daniel Ricciardo on McLaren’s simulator ahead of their first season as Formula 1 teammates.
After spending his first two years in F1 racing alongside Carlos Sainz, Norris will now partner Ricciardo at McLaren in 2021 following the Australian’s arrival from Renault.
Ricciardo has joined McLaren on a three-year deal, and is set to offer a boost to the British squad by bringing experience from a race-winning operation at Red Bull, where he scored seven wins between 2014 and 2018.
Norris said he will not know until the new season properly starts just what areas Ricciardo will push him the most him and help him develop, but revealed he is already gleaning pointers from his new team-mate in McLaren’s simulator.
“It’s difficult to me to know just yet, I need to wait until we’re on-track and we do our first shakedown,” Norris said ahead of Tuesday’s running at Silverstone.
“I will already be able to take things away from just doing a few laps learning from him, learning from his feedback. There are things on the simulator already I’ve been able to pick up on.
“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 comes alive a little bit more and people show their true colours.
“I don’t have an exact answer for that just yet, but I’m sure it’s going to be every area where he’s pushing me, and hopefully I’ll be pushing him too. That’s the aim.”
Ricciardo will be the most experienced driver to race for McLaren since Fernando Alonso left the team at the end of 2018, having been on the F1 grid since 2011.
Although Ricciardo is a veteran compared to Norris, who will be in just his third season, the ex-Red Bull driver acknowledged there would be lots he could learn from his younger team-mate about working at McLaren.
“I'm certainly the more experienced in terms of being in F1, this being my 11th season,” Ricciardo said.
“But actually, in terms of McLaren, Lando has the more experience. So for sure there's some things I can learn from him, particularly within the team itself and kind of integration into the McLaren family.
“Every time you have a new team-mate, it's a real opportunity to learn something new, whether it's work ethic, or a driving technique, or both. So I'm always pretty open minded.
“I know every driver has confidence in themselves and their ability, but I am very confident as an individual, but I'm also open minded.
“If there is something that I can take from Lando, and use it to better myself, then, obviously, I'm looking to learn as much as I can.”
Related video
Ricciardo enjoys ‘smooth’ McLaren F1 Silverstone shakedown
Vettel puts prized supercars up for sale
How getting sacked from Benetton made Mercedes' Allison
He’s had a hand in world championship-winning Formula 1 cars for Benetton, Renault and Mercedes, and was also a cog in the Schumacher-Ferrari axis. Having recently ‘moved upstairs’ as Mercedes chief technical officer, James Allison tells Stuart Codling about his career path and why being axed by Benetton was one of the best things that ever happened to him.
The remarkable qualities that propelled Kubica’s F1 comeback
It’s easy to look at Robert Kubica’s second Formula 1 career and feel a sense of sadness that he didn’t reach the heights for which he seemed destined. But as Ben Anderson discovered, performance and results are almost meaningless in this context – something more fundamental and incredible happened…
The humbling changes Ricciardo made to deliver for McLaren
From being lapped by his own teammate in Monaco to winning at Monza, it’s been a tumultuous first season at McLaren for Daniel Ricciardo. But, as he tells STUART CODLING, there’s more to the story of his turnaround than having a lovely summer holiday during Formula 1's summer break...
The potential benefits of losing the F1 constructors' title
As the battle continues to rage over the F1 2021 drivers' championship, teams up and down the grid are turning their attentions to the prize money attributed to each position in the constructors' standings. But F1's sliding scale rules governing wind tunnel and CFD use will soften the blow for those who miss out on the top places
The invisible enemy that's made Hamilton's title charge tougher
After winning his past few Formula 1 titles as a canter, Lewis Hamilton currently trails Max Verstappen by eight points heading into the final double-header of 2021. Although Red Bull has been his biggest on-track challenge, Hamilton feels that he has just as much to grapple with away from the circuit
Why F1's inconvenient penalties have to stay
OPINION: Quibbles over the length of time taken by Formula 1's stewards over decisions are entirely valid. But however inconvenient it is, there can be no questioning the importance of having clearly defined rules that everyone understands and can stick to. Recent events have shown that ambiguity could have big consequences
The mistakes Red Bull cannot afford to repeat in F1 2021's title fight climax
OPINION: Red Bull has had Formula 1’s fastest package for most of 2021, but in several of the title run-in events it has wasted the RB16B’s potential. It cannot afford to do so again with Lewis Hamilton motoring back towards Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings with two rounds remaining
Qatar Grand Prix driver ratings
Qatar was a virtual unknown for most as Formula 1 made its inaugural visit to the Gulf state, and tyre management quickly emerged as an even more critical factor than normal. Perhaps then it should come as no surprise that two of the championship's elder statesmen produced standout drives