Lewis Hamilton: Lando Norris gives honest assessment of emulating F1 star
LEWIS HAMILTON’s first season in Formula One will be very different to the one Lando Norris is about to embark on with McLaren, says the youngster.
Lewis Hamilton greeted by huge crowd of fans in Shanghai
On Monday, McLaren confirmed they would be welcoming Norris as their second driver for the 2019 championship with the 18-year-old set to work alongside Carlos Sainz.
Like Lewis Hamilton did, Norris has made a name for himself in racing prior to reaching the Formula One circuit.
Norris, having started racing aged seven and winning the World Karting Championship in 2013 among other titles, is now a title challenger in Formula 2.
But unlike Hamilton, who got his big break with McLaren in 2007, Norris is joining the team at a tricky stage with Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari all way ahead in the constructors’ standings.
His raw pace is probably the best of everyone on the whole grid, so there are bits you want from different drivers.
“Growing up I’ve watched Lewis and aspired to have some of his attributes, mainly his speed,” said Norris.
“His raw pace is probably the best of everyone on the whole grid, so there are bits you want from different drivers.
“Being compared to someone who could be about to win five World Championships, I don’t think it’s a bad thing as long as you’re getting compared on the good stats, not the bad stats.
“It’s still very different. He came into McLaren when they were doing extremely well. I’ve joined when they are going through a pretty tricky time. Things over the past few years have got a bit lost.
“I think the opportunity of driving next year, as well as Carlos, is a fresh start and what the team needs to get back to where they need to be.”
Norris is well aware of the tough challenge facing McLaren next season but for now his main focus appears to be dislodging team-mate Sainz from the No 1 spot.
“Rule number one is: Beat your team-mate. Apart from that, it is going to be a tough year,” he said.
“We are not going to be winning, or competing against Ferrari and Mercedes. I would like to think we can make a step forward from where we are.”
He added: “They need two young drivers willing to say: ‘We don’t need to win; we don’t want to win within the first two years of joining the team.’
“That is a realistic goal. We are not going to be winning next year or probably the year after. It will probably be a few years.”
Hamilton, who currently leads the drivers’ standings, returns to the track when the circuit reaches Singapore later this month.