Norris: "They make assumptions based on what they see, don't know what's going on"

McLaren driver Lando Norris thinks his points total from 2019 doesn't tell the full story of his season because of his many mechanical failures, rueing the assumptions that are made on him by people looking in from the outside.

Norris ended his rookie season with 49 points, putting him in 11th place in the drivers' championship. Teammate Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, scored almost double the amount at 96 points as he finished in the top six while also scoring his maiden podium along the way.

On paper, it seems like the Spaniard simply had the much better season, but Norris doesn't think it's that black-and-white because of the bad luck he's had in some Grands Prix.

“I think there were a lot of times last year when I had a mechanical failure when I was about to score good points," the 20-year-old told Reuters.

"We had France, Spa, Montreal. There were quite a few. It was a shame but I know this and the team know it.”

Norris did beat Sainz in the qualifying duel in 2019 (11 to 10), showing he is very much capable of beating the 25-year-old in the same equipment. While he and the team know that, as he said, he does admit he'd like the general public to be more aware of it too.

“It would be nice if everyone knew because a lot of people just make assumptions on what they see and don’t actually having any idea what’s going on. That’s just how people act and how people are.”