Norris explains fresh start vibes with "new team" McLaren

McLaren

Norris explains fresh start vibes with "new team" McLaren

Norris has impressed in new F1 era but it has not come easy

Sam Hall

Friday 3 June 2022 11:45

Lando Norris has claimed he is only just "coming to terms" with the latest generation of F1 cars.

Norris has again been a standout performer this season, with the McLaren driver seventh in the standings behind the pairings at Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes, albeit just two points behind the latter's seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

Norris has adapted to the current cars far quicker than team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, with McLaren CEO Zak Brown recently commenting that the Australian had 'failed to meet expectations'.

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Assessing his performance so far, Norris has made clear everything is new to him to such an extent he feels he is starting over.

"It is still a new car, and it is not just for Daniel, it is not just for other people, it is the same for everyone," explained Norris.

"There are a lot of things I have had to try and readjust to this year and I feel like I am getting there now with that and I can unlock a bit more pace come qualifying and the race.

"I am just understanding things more. It is still a learning process for me. It is not like because I have been with McLaren I know everything and everything works perfectly. It is quite the opposite.

"It has been a new car for me, new tyres, new set-ups, new everything.

"So in some ways, it is a new and fresh start for me in a new team and I have to reassess how I drive the car in some ways because I can't drive how I want to in many ways."

F1 shift in new era

The pecking order has changed considerably this year, with certain drivers able to get a handle on the latest machinery quicker than others, such as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz with Ferrari and Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

"We can see with other drivers, how Charles has done much better this year relative to Carlos," assessed Norris.

"Carlos beat him last year, and this year it just looks like Charles is in a much more comfortable position.

"Same with Perez, Perez is in a much better position compared to what he was last year.

"So there are quite a few changes this year with the car and I think you are seeing that evidently with drivers that it is suiting more people than others and it is taking time for everyone to understand these things.

"I feel like now, so far into the season, six or seven races, I am finally coming to terms with understanding these."