Lando Norris Reveals 2022 F1 Cars Not As Nice To Drive

Lando Norris has revealed that the new 2022 cars which will feature ground effect aerodynamics are not as nice to drive compared to the current cars based on their experience with the McLaren simulator. The aim of the new ground effect cars is to facilitate better overtaking as the current cars start losing grip tailing a car in front because of the aerodynamic wake. Overall, however, there is a big cut in downforce and the cars will also get slower alongside the addition of new tyres which will make the 2022 season challenging for the drivers. 

"It's a very different car to drive. In a way not as nice as this season. But I think hopefully that's the same case with every other team as well. And we'll see, there's no point trying to think it's amazing or terrible. You just have to do the best job you can and hopefully, next season, we go to the pre-season test with a good car," he said. 

Norris also revealed some information about how development is going about for the 2022 season. 

Lando Norris has impressed in 2021 and has become the default lead driver for McLaren 

"The only car we've seen is the one at Silverstone. The car we have in the factory, it's not even a car. It's a drawing and some paper. I don't think we will see it for many more months, maybe not until next year in a way. We've seen some of the drawings and the designs for next season, but every week, it's something new and something different, because there's so many different things with the car. But every week it's very easy to make changes and make it quicker and quicker," he added. 

Norris's comments follow his former teammate Fernando Alonso's comments who revealed that the winter will be the most intense pre-season he's ever gone through in his storied F1 career. Alonso in 2022 will become the oldest driver on the grid and the most experienced as Kimi Raikkonen is retiring at the end of this season. 

"Eventually after three or four races you [will hopefully be] on top of the car and on top of the regulations enough that the performance of the car will dictate the results you will get, as we see now. In terms of adaptation, I don't think it's going to be a big difference. It's just some hard work, or harder than any other winter, because we will have to spend a little bit more time in the simulator together with the team," said the 2005 and 2006 world champion.