Carlos Sainz’s move to Ferrari paved the way for McLaren to finally sign Daniel Ricciardo – and fans are eager to see how Lando Norris will stack up against the Aussie in equal machinery.
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Earlier this month, in the run-up to pre-season testing in Bahrain, Norris said he is expecting a “fierce” intra-team battle with Ricciardo and said he is “excited” for the rivalry.
“I think it will be a fierce battle between us,” Norris said.
“I’m excited for the team-mate rivalry we’ll have, which will obviously be a good one, but he’s still a guy I can learn from.
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“That won’t change race results or how we both go racing. We are both still learning every day and improving our driving and that’s what I’m excited for.”
Former F1 driver David Coulthard has now chimed in, saying he believes Ricciardo will be a “great test” for the 21-year-old who has raced with McLaren for the entirety of F1 career.
“This is a great test for Lando,” Coulthard said.
“In Carlos he had a quick team-mate but also one that was pretty easy going and part of knowing your competitors is knowing your team-mate.
“And with Daniel, he’s easy-going off track but he is pretty ruthless on track and has that racer’s heart and edge, which we saw come out when he was alongside Max and Seb.
“It will be a difficult time for Lando. But it’s also a great opportunity for him to step up and show he can get his elbows out,” he added.
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