Lando Norris admits he didn't anticipate the level of progress he and McLaren have made in his first Formula 1 season.
There was a strong weight of expectation on the 19-year-old after impressing in various test and Friday practice outings with the British team over the past year.
And immediately he would deliver with Q3 appearances in Australia and Bahrain, including a sixth-place finish in just his second race at Sakhir.
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Though a small dip in results came around Monaco, Norris continues to be a regular in the top 10 as he settles in very nicely at McLaren.
“From my side, I didn’t think I’d be as confident as I am now in this part of the season already, or halfway through”, he said via Motorsport Week.
“From how nervous I was at the beginning of the season in Australia, I’m a lot more confident, a lot more knowledgeable I think, with what I need to do and not do and so on with what I need to do and not do and so on. We’re getting there.”
What has undoubtedly helped is a McLaren car that has also been much improved from 2018 which, at this point of the season, was dropping to the bottom of the midfield just ahead of Williams.
“I don’t think we thought we would be as… I don’t think we are still completely the fourth-fastest car, but I think the team are doing a very good job,” Norris stated.
“The pit stops, the starts, all areas that we weren’t so good in last year, they’ve improved a lot for this year, and we’re generally better than a lot of the teams.
“That side has been much stronger, and that has helped us be as good as we are in terms of the Constructors’ and so on, it’s got us a lot of points, so a big thanks to all of the guys for working on those areas. It’s been a big help.”
