Norris embracing more responsibility at McLaren after best start to an F1 season

Norris has scored three top five finishes in a row, leaving him third in the drivers’ championship ahead of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas.

With Carlos Sainz moving to Ferrari, Norris says he has stepped up as McLaren’s team leader.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, Norris said: “Something that has changed for this year is the role that I have more within the team, more because of the difference between the drivers.

“Me and Carlos were with McLaren for two years, this year Daniel comes in with a lot more experience in different teams and within F1, but I have a lot more experience with McLaren and working within the team.

“I have a bigger role, more responsibility with some things such as the development, the knowledge of the team over the past three, four years, which is something Daniel can’t add so I have had to step up a little bit more and help the team push forward in this area and use my knowledge from there. Daniel has come in from the other angle from knowledge of Red Bull, Renault and many teams in F1.”

Norris also revealed he’s been spending more time at McLaren’s base in Woking as part of his newfound role in the team.

“It’s something I’ve had to step up into which I think has been good for me, taking upon that role of responsibility within the team because it’s improved more my… the effort, I was always putting in the effort but the time spent, the dedication spent with the team to understand a lot more things, going into the details, working a lot more with the team back at base in MTC and so on,” Norris added.

“It’s hard to say the exact things but more my responsibility within the team has gone up and my confidence as well. Just being at the race track, within the car, knowing what I want to achieve every step of the way basically - on and off the track. Those are the main things.”