Norris 'feels prepared' as F1 debut looms

McLaren rookie Lando Norris is feeling confident ahead of his F1 debut with the team in Melbourne in two weeks' time. Norris concluded his testing program on Thursday as teammate Carlos Sainz takes the reigns of the MCL34 for the final test on Friday.

Norris, who won the FIA Euro F3 Championship in 2017 and finished second to compatriot George Russell in last years FIA F2 campaign joins Sainz in an all-new lineup for McLaren in 2019. Norris believes that testing helped boost his confidence ahead of his first F1 race.

"I feel pretty prepared, compared to how I felt coming into these two weeks," Norris said. "How I feel now, I’m in a much better position in terms of what I need to be doing and know what I need to achieve a good result if I get the opportunity of a good result in Melbourne. I feel much more confident and doing the job I need to be doing from the first race.”

Norris clocked up a total of 84 laps during his last day of testing with a fastest time of 1:17.0. It is understood that he undertook many different simulations and has told that he is not intending on relying on his engineers to set the car up for him.

“I’m making changes throughout the race runs and quali runs without asking or getting any recommendation," Norris added. "If I haven’t done something they can see in the data, they recommend it or tell me to do it.

"Some of that will come from experience and knowing how to handle different situations and the tyres. And that’s something I’ve learned a lot even since last week, and gotten better at. But there’s still things I need to learn how to use to their full potential.”