Credit: @McLarenF1

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Norris describes atmosphere turnaround as "incredible" as McLaren launch MCL35M

15 February 2021 at 19:38
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  • Joseph Tyrrell

McLaren have had a resurgence over the last few years and Lando Norris has seen a huge change in the atmosphere. Speaking at the McLaren car launch the Brit described the atmosphere as "incredible". 

Over the last two years McLaren have established themselves at the front of the midfield, thanks to the displays of Norris and Carlos Sainz, who has since departed for Ferrari. With Daniel Ricciardo now on their books, they'll be hoping to progress even further. 

The turnaround in atmosphere is something that Norris highlighted and he did admit it was just lacking something when he arrived.

"It’s incredible, it really is incredible," Norris said at the MCL35M launch on Sky Sports.

"I obviously joined McLaren before I started driving for them so probably two years, so it has been almost five years now with McLaren which seems like a long time but it doesn’t feel that long.

"The atmosphere within the team the mentality was just not dead but just lacking a little but it just lacked that enthusiasm and that final push and drive from the drivers and just that mentality to want to go out and win again."

A fresh start

Norris admitted when he arrived it was a fresh start for the team alongside Sainz, and now with Ricciardo next to him he feels the same. 

"It was a fresh start obviously with myself and Carlos a couple of years ago and it is another one today and this season for us to liven things up and it has improved so much over the past few seasons.

"It is so good to see every time I come in it’s a bit more smiley and happy and everyone’s very excited and motivated to take that next step and work that little bit harder try and perfect everything make that car a little bit quicker every time they can to bring the fight to the front and to try and get us back to winning races and on the podium," Norris concluded.