Lando Norris Finally Comments On Losing Daniel Ricciardo As McLaren Teammate
The partnership between Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren was expected to be a dream team, but it ended up being a major disappointment. Ricciardo's move from Renault (now Alpine) to McLaren raised expectations, as he was considered one of the top 5 drivers on the grid, and McLaren had just finished third in the Constructors' Championship.
However, after two lacklustre years, the Aussie driver and British team went their separate ways. What made the failure even more profound was the unfulfilled potential of Danni Ric, his efforts on Drive to Survive, and his amazing friendship with his Papaya teammate Lando Norris.
Expectations for the Ricciardo-Norris Partnership
Fans were excited about the prospect of Ricciardo and Norris being paired up, as they were expected to be an upgrade from the Norris-Carlos Sainz partnership. And the fans were right. The two drivers are hilarious when left on their own, but together their humour was even better as they bounced off each other behind the scenes.
Of course, Netflix's Drive to Survive didn't show much of this, with the production company wanting to highlight the civil war happening between them, so many fans believe they didn't get on.
Lando Norris' Sentiments
After Ricciardo's McLaren departure, fans expected Norris to speak out about their relationship, and he eventually did during a stream, later shared on Instagram.
He was asked about if he misses being a teammate with the Australian Grand Prix winner.
"I miss Daniel," he said, before adding: "Of course, I miss him."
Ricciardo's Current Status
Since being paid $18 million to leave McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo has become a reserve driver for Red Bull, a team he has a strong history with. Unfortunately, he hasn't been seen for a while with him not attending the first race of the 2023 calendar, but we'll likely see him soon.