On the night of the MCL35M launch, I’ll take a look into what the near future holds for a team on the brink of heading back to the big time. Especially with a certain Honey Badger onboard.
Daniel Ricciardo is an A-list name to world of motorsport, there is no doubt about that. Even though the Woking-based team got their guy a year later than they wanted, they have him nonetheless.
As much as Carlos Sainz Jr. was undeniably brilliant with his time at McLaren, the first choice to fill that empty seat at Ferrari if it were based on pace alone would have meant Ricciardo would have found his way there. Now the Scuderia have made their decision, it presents something better for F1.
Now there are two teams that, on first glance, have a No.1 and a No.2 driver. Ricciardo will have that purely through the cost it did to bring him in, but he is not concentrating on this season per say. The true effort is to maximise McLarens chances come 2022.
The team is as stable as it can possibly be. This is because out of all the lineups going into 2021, this is the most likely to stay the same come 2022. Yes Daniel Ricciardo was a big acquisition, but there is no slouch in Lando Norris either.
Norris, only 21, has already proved how capable he is behind the wheel of an F1 car and as most the younger drivers in the sport are right now, he is safer than what drivers used to be in terms of contracts and loyalty from teams.
Teams have faith in their youngsters nowadays and with the main focus on growing yet again into 2022, means even a less than average season would most likely see Norris alongside Ricciardo for 2022.
2021 is going to be continuing the form of last years car to cement the teams place as the third best team in the paddock to push on and try and bridge the gap to the top come the rule change in 2022. That is no small feat, but with the progression from the Woking-based team, they are the best suited to do so.
Sports Insider by Gerren Scapens 