Daniel Ricciardo: Lando Norris has proved that he's "top-level"

Daniel Ricciardo has commented on his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who is in his third F1 season. The 22-year-old British-Belgian driver has been a consistent performer for McLaren, scoring points and running at the sharp end of the pack. Meanwhile, the Australian has struggled considerably since his move to the Woking-based squad earlier this year.

Ricciardo starred alongside current championship protagonist Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, where the two went head to head, with Max often coming out slightly ahead.

In an interview after the Qatar Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo commented on his struggles at McLaren. He has mentioned in the past that their car doesn't suit his driving style. When asked about his performance over the weekend, he brought up Lando Norris for comparison, saying:

“Ultimately these kinds of long and medium-speed corners are where our car is challenged the most. That is where the McLaren style is the one and only style to get it through those corners quickly. I think that is where Lando is definitely doing a better job, in those corners."

Pointing out that Norris had two more seasons to acclimatize himself to McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo said:

“If it was easy, I would’ve perfected it already. I think Lando is driving very well. Any questions about him, he has proved to everyone this year that he is top-level. But also having the three years with the same car has helped him dial that in. Definitely think I’ve improved my style from the beginning of the year. But there’s clearly yet another step to make in and some of the sorts of tracks where he is more on top of it than I am.”

Norris finished in P10 at the Mexican and Brazil Grand Prix, followed by a P9 in Qatar. Meanwhile, former Red Bull favorite Ricciardo suffered a DNF (did not finish) in Mexico and Brazil, and P12 in Qatar last Sunday. The Australian didn't contribute a single point to his team over the final triple-header of the season, despite comfortably winning at Monza.

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Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren losing P3 battle to Ferrari

McLaren and Ferrari have been jousting it out for third place in the constructors' championship, however, the Italian team currently hold a 39.5-point advantage going into the last two races of the season.

Ricciardo's poor form this season, coupled with consistent performances by Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, has made the battle for third place a bleak one. With only two races left in 2021, many believe that, barring an extraordinary turn of events, McLaren are out of contention for third.