Lando Norris says he doesn’t mind who is new team-mate is next season.
The McLaren man is definitely going to have someone new on the other side of the garage with it being announced that Daniel Ricciardo is leaving at the end of the season.
It’s widely believed that the Aussie’s compatriot Oscar Piastri will take his place after his denial of Alpine’s announcement that he’d be driving for them next year made it clear that he had an agreement in place with the British team.
Norris isn’t commenting on that chain of events though, and says he has no preference as to who his new team-mate is.
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As long as it can be someone who gets along with on a personal level, he’ll be happy, and is looking forward to the new challenge.
“I’m really not fussed,” he told Sky Sports.
“As long as it’s someone I can enjoy spending time with, and I can work together with well, then I’m happy.
“I don’t know who yet, so I just look forward to it. Of course, there’ll be a new challenge, many differences.”
If Piastri does indeed join the team, it will make Norris the more experienced driver at McLaren for the first time in his career.
Former team-mate Carlos Sainz and current one Ricciardo have both been on the grid for considerably longer than the Brit, but that won’t be the case with the Aussie.
He has yet to drive in F1, only taking part in a few test and practice sessions, and is a year and a half younger than Norris.
The current McLaren driver admits it will feel strange to be the more senior driver at the team.
“If it is someone younger than I’ll probably feel weird,” he said.
“I feel like I’m the older guy and more mature guy in the team, which I never feel like, but I don’t know yet. I’m focussed on this season for now.”
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Despite being younger than Ricciardo, Norris has very much become the team leader since the 33-year-old replaced Sainz.
That’s solely due to his performances, with him more often than not being a long way ahead of his team-mate throughout the weekend.
With a rookie now set to drive alongside him next year, he’s set to take on even more of a leadership role, and that’s something he’s often spoken of doing.