'Norris doesn't want to be Ricciardo's friend, and that's the right attitude'

Lando Norris looks to have taken a significant step forward in 2021. According to Johnny Herbert, the Brit is still as nice as ever but is taking it more seriously this year. 'Norris doesn't want to be a friend of Ricciardo'.

Norris was a cheerful note in the paddock for the first two years. Together with Carlos Sainz he gave McLaren a new image and the two often fooled around in the paddock together. However, when it came down to it, it was Sainz who performed on Sunday, and Norris was a bit inconsistent. That's different this year.

Norris is mature

''There's a wonderful maturity starting to appear in him, and it's a maturity that we haven't seen in recent years when he was at McLaren teaming up with Carlos Sainz Jr. Now that he's teamed up with Daniel Ricciardo there's a mental change - because they're not friends. Lando doesn't want to be a friend and that's the right attitude to have. You have to be ruthless at some point,'' Herbert told Motorsportmagazine.com.

''Lando was so friendly, bubbly and chatty when he first came into F1, and he still is - but he has something now that wasn't there before. Yes, McLaren have improved, but it is Lando who is the real standout. He performs consistently. He's up against Daniel and yet it's Lando who is getting the best out of the car and in the first half of the season there has been a massive change'', concludes the former F1 driver.