Ricciardo leaves Norris out: 'The better racer? I have to say Max'
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Daniel Ricciardo was Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull Racing for several seasons between 2016 and 2018. The current McLaren driver was often trumped by the Dutchman and left, but he now has another very fast driver alongside him as a teammate with Lando Norris. Which of the two talents is the better racer?
Verstappen or Norris?
"I have to say Max, but that's probably based off the fact I have more experience with him," Ricciardo told EFTM.com. Ricciardo has only been Norris' teammate for two Grands Prix, but the young Briton has already managed to impress in that short time. "If we look at his last weekend Lando has certainly raced very well," he said.
Ricciardo faced a team order during the Grand Prix at the Imola circuit. The Australian drove one spot ahead of his new teammate, but Norris proved to be a lot faster. Andreas Seidl told Ricciardo on the radio to get off the gas in a place where it wouldn't hurt him. In the end, it earned Norris a podium finish.
Ricciardo understands McLaren
Of course, Ricciardo would have preferred not to give up his spot, but he blames McLaren little in this case. "It's not like the team were holding me back so that Lando could have that position. It was all my own fault," he added.
The 31-year-old driver from Perth is not the only driver new to a racing stable who is struggling. Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Sergio Perez are also examples of drivers who are not yet as competitive as they would like to be. It takes a couple of weekends to get used to the new car and new procedures.