Norris: Daniel Ricciardo offers something different to Sainz | F1 News by PlanetF1

Lando Norris believes his new McLaren team-mate Daniel Ricciardo can bring something new to the team both on and off track in the 2021 season.

Ricciardo penned a two-year deal with the Woking outfit following the departure of Carlos Sainz Jr. who joined up with Ferrari in place of Sebastian Vettel.

While Sainz and Norris last season earned McLaren their highest points tally since the Hamilton-Button pairing of 2012, Norris believes his incoming Australian partner can offer something different to the team.

Ricciardo and the man he is replacing both had similar journeys to end up with McLaren, both arriving from Renault and both previously having involvements with Red Bull.

Given that, Norris thinks there will be some similarities between the two drivers and the way in which they operate, but Ricciardo will also come in with different ideas, partly down to his race-winning experience which Sainz did not have.

Norris told Autosport: “It’s going to be very good. [Ricciardo] is going to give a different perspective on a lot of things. I’m sure some comments are going to be similar to Carlos, because Carlos drove the Renault, and probably a lot of characteristics are similar.

“A lot of things Carlos talked about sometimes were when he drove a Renault, things were like this, and the team acted like this and different circumstances. A lot of knowledge that drivers have, and something that I learned from Carlos, is knowledge of how he worked with other teams.

“With Daniel, working with Red Bull a bit more and knowing how to win races and how a team wins races and the car he needs for that. I think that’s something Carlos doesn’t have.

“That’ll be very good for when Daniel comes in, giving those fresh ideas and helping the team move forward. I think it’s very good.”

Save the date. 15-02-21.

?️? #MCL35M pic.twitter.com/oGQwQVGMIU

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) January 28, 2021

Ricciardo certainly has an impressive Formula 1 CV, having won seven races to date, while achieving 31 podiums.

The chance to be in close competition with such a successful driver is something which excites young Norris and he is seeing it as an opportunity to further learn his trade.

“It’s nice for me to work with someone different and learn some things,” Norris said.

“But also to go up against a driver who has won races and people say is one of the best on the grid, it’s a good chance for me to compare myself against him, and just work with him as a race winner.”

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