Daniel Ricciardo urges “always negative” Lando Norris to cheer up - “I've never seen him smile”

Daniel Ricciardo has offered words of encouragement to his former McLaren teammate Lando Norris, advising him to maintain a positive outlook and set aside any negativity as they head into the 2024 season.

Following the conclusion of the three-day pre-season test at Bahrain International Circuit, speculation is rife in the paddock that Max Verstappen and RB20 will again dominate in 2024, leaving Norris, Ricciardo, and the rest of the contenders battling for scraps.

McLaren ace Lando Norris isn't optimistic about his chances of standing on the podium. When Daniel Ricciardo caught wind of Norris' pessimistic response to the question 'Who would be on the podium this year?', the Aussie jokingly added (via pitdebrief.com):

"Lando needs a bit of a ray of positivity. He’s always negative, isn’t he? I’ve never seen him smile... He's normally pretty honest, so if he's feeling a little down, then maybe they expect it to be a little bit quicker."

Although Ricciardo might have made the statement in jest, Norris has consistently been critical of himself, openly expressing his frustrations on the radio. He has acknowledged his mistakes to the media and constantly downplayed expectations.

Heading into the 2024 F1 season, Daniel Ricciardo could radiate some of his positive vibes to Lando Norris with his infectious smile and upbeat attitude.

F1 Grand Prix of Singapore 2022

As to his predictions on podium contenders in 2024, Ricciardo named Red Bull and Ferrari.

"Me kind of being a viewer, it looks like Red Bull and Ferrari would be the strong favorites to be on the podium here in a week… But anything can happen."

Ricciardo dampened speculations surrounding VCARB's rise, indicating that the team is targeting top-10 finishes.

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Daniel Ricciardo says podium finishes are a 'wish' rather than a 'reality' for VCARB

It has been a busy off-season for Scuderia AlphaTauri, now rebranded as VCARB, as it forges a closer relationship with its sister team Red Bull Racing.

After strengthening its ties with the reigning champions, there have been speculations that VCARB will pose an immediate podium threat, challenging the front runners. However, Daniel Ricciardo said that it is far from reality.

"I think, yeah, wins and podiums are a little bit of a wish, at the moment more than maybe a reality. But as the year goes on, I think we will progress and hopefully keep getting closer and closer to the front," he told RacingNews365.com.

Ricciardo added:

"I think this is the year where the team really tries to establish themselves and kind of stand on their own two feet, and obviously then try to establish a fight towards the front of the midfield."