Lando Norris has commented on Ferrari’s lack of success since 2019, and believes that the Scuderia will be in a position to fight for race wins in 2022.
Ferrari finished second in the Constructors’ Championship in 2019, winning just three races. Sebastian Vettel’s win at the Singapore Grand Prix that year would also turn out to be the team’s last to date.
They managed two podium finishes through Charles Leclerc in 2020 and one through Vettel, but a horrible year saw them end the season sixth – 50 points adrift of Renault who were just one place above them.
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Improvements were vivid last year, as new signing Carlos Sainz claimed four podiums over the course of the season and Leclerc managed one himself.
No victories materialised but they jumped up to third in the Constructors’ Standings, beating Norris’ McLaren to the top three in the final round of the season.
Norris claims that Ferrari have always had a good chassis, and this is not what has held them back in the last couple of years.
“The progress they’ve made in the latter part of the season has had nothing to do with the car,” said the 22-year-old.
Instead, he blames their lack of performance on them having a weak power unit, particularly in 2020.
“They have only improved their power units. I don’t think they’ve ever had a terrible car. Even in the last few years, I don’t think they’ve had a terrible car. They just lacked on the engine side.”
Norris reckons that Ferrari will be in a position to win races this year, and has vast hopes that McLaren can join the fight at the top.
“When the power unit was good, they won races, so I expect them to be very competitive. This year they said they haven’t invested in the development of the car and they were all focused on next season.
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“They are Ferrari, I think the most successful team in F1, and they are for a reason. I expect them to fight for wins and podiums next season. If we can join that, that would be fantastic.”
Norris ended the year sixth in the Drivers’ Championship in 2021, scoring four podiums.
He agonisingly missed out his on first Formula 1 win at the Russian Grand Prix due to a wrong tyre choice in changing conditions.
He had started the race from pole position for the first time in his F1 career.
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