The Mclaren F1 Team are looking to bounce back strongly at this weekends American Grand Prix at one of the drivers favourite circuits, the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
Lando Norris had yet another points finish last time out at the Turkish Grand Prix, however it was one of the more challenging weekends of the season for him and the team. The British driver will be looking to finish within the top five this weekend to apply the pressure on Valtteri Bottas for third in the drivers’ standings.
Norris is excited to be heading back to America, especially as the pandemic prevented an American Grand Prix from happening in 2020.
“I can’t wait to be back in America this weekend, where we’ll be aiming to bounce back from the result in Turkey. Austin is known for its great atmosphere and I’m sure it’ll be the same again this year with the fans being super passionate. The fight is still on in the Constructors’ Championship, so we need to keep pushing.
“COTA is one of the most exciting circuits on the calendar. Even though the track has elements of other F1 tracks, it still feels like a unique place to race. I took part in a virtual race around COTA last year with the Arrow McLaren SP team during the pandemic, which was a lot of fun, but I can’t wait to be racing there for real in an F1 car after two years. Hopefully it’ll be a good weekend for us.”
“COTA is arguably one of the best tracks” – Daniel Ricciardo
Turkey was an even more difficult weekend for Daniel Ricciardo, the Australian struggled to make any progress after starting from the back of the grid. Mclaren decided to give Ricciardo a new power unit for Turkey resulting in the back row start.
Ricciardo has put the struggles of Turkey well behind him, and is as full of energy as usual heading into this weekend. The Honey Badger is very happy to be going back to Austin, home of great food and an incredible race track, Ricciardo is also extremely excited about a special opportunity he is getting after the Grand Prix!
“I’m excited to be in the US after a one-year hiatus. The city of Austin is a special place known for its brisket, BBQ and all that good stuff. Not to mention that COTA is arguably one of the best tracks we get to race on. We need to make up for missing out on being there last year, so we’ll be working hard for a good result.
“We’ve taken the time between races to analyse, understand and learn from what happened last time out. We’re ready to move on and focus on the challenge of this weekend. I think some sections of the track will suit us, so we should be in the mix for some points come Sunday.
“To top off the weekend, I’ll also be getting behind the wheel of Dale Earnhardt Sr’s 1984 Wrangler Chevrolet Monte Carlo. He’s a big hero of mine, so to be able to drive one of his cars is going to be a surreal moment and a bit of a dream come true. A big thanks to Zak for keeping his end of the deal and making this happen. I can’t wait!”
