Ricciardo, Norris make McLaren ‘most exciting’ pair for 2021 F1 season

Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris represent the ‘most exciting’ rider line-up for the 2021 F1 World Championship season, according to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown.

Australian Ricciardo makes the move to the British outfit next season after only a moderately successful two year sojourn with the Renault factory team.

The seven-time Grand Prix winner replaces Carlos Sainz – who joins Ferrari – and joins Norris in a characterful driver line-up that is likely to make McLaren a firm fan favourite next season.

Indeed, Brown is delighted to have landed such a personality in Ricciardo and firmly believes he – together with youngster Norris – has the skill to drive McLaren back into the upper echelons of the grid.

“Daniel's a driver that we wanted a couple of years ago – we've been on record that we're Daniel Ricciardo fans,” Brown told the F1 Nation podcast. “He obviously chose to go to Renault last time around, but we got our man this time. He's a seven-time Grand Prix winner."

Though Brown has high hopes for Ricciardo's talent, he admits McLaren probably isn't the team to give him the tools he needs to demonstrate his title-winning abilities.

“I think he's capable of winning the world championship in the right car immediately. I don't think we'll give him a championship car, being realistic, in '21, but hopefully we'll give him something he can demonstrate his talent in.

“He's very exciting on the track, he's very exciting off the track and I think the combination of Daniel and Lando, I can't think of a more exciting combination of drivers. I like where they're at in their careers and their age, so I think it's going to be very exciting.”