Norris a future world champion? Needs the right car

McLaren Media Centre

F1 News

20 May 2021 at 08:56
Last update 20 May 2021 at 12:52
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  • GPblog.com

McLaren announced Wednesday that Lando Norris has extended his contract for several seasons. A good thing, according to Carlos Sainz, who assesses his former teammate as a future world champion.

Norris made his 2019 Formula One debut at McLaren, with Carlos Sainz by his side. The Spaniard came over from Renault, where he had been pushed aside for Daniel Ricciardo. Together, however, Sainz and Norris pulled McLaren out of the doldrums, even achieving a third place in the constructors' standings.

Norris potentially a world champion

According to Sainz McLaren has done well to keep Norris on board. The Spaniard is convinced that Norris can become world champion one day. ''There is a group of drivers who are on the same level, and I would put Lando in that group. Those are all potential world champions, they just need the right car,'' Sainz said according to Speedweek.com.

''There are many more drivers who can do that. However, the level in Formula 1 is so high that unfortunately it is more about what the team can do, and not about what the driver can do. However, I think Lando has the potential to lead McLaren and bring it back to the top'', concludes the driver who himself made the switch to Ferrari.