Norris jokes after first place: 'Now the world title is expected'

Lando Norris started the winter test for McLaren well, with the fastest time and 103 laps on the Circuit de Catalunya. Already smiling, he tells us that he doesn't even like being in P1 after the first day of testing.

McLaren is hoping to get another step closer to the top in 2022 with the MCL36. The illustrious team gets a huge chance to close the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull Racing with the new regulations and started the new season well. Norris drove McLaren's car for the first day and left feeling very pleased.

''The cars are different. There are many different things for me to get used to, it's still a Formula 1 car with a nice engine in the back. You've still got a lot of downforce, it's just the characteristic and how it works and goes through a corner. Small changes can make such a big difference, even between teams. it's not like it's changed the world, lap times aren't miles off what they were last season," Norris told Sky Sports.

According to Norris, it is mainly getting used to new things again. ''It's more just as a driver, the brain gets tuned to so many things. It's just about reprogramming it to get used to the differences like a heavier car and bigger tyres. Not too many differences in the end.

At the end of the day, Norris was in first place with a 1:19.568 as his fastest time. Although times mean nothing during a winter test, Norris jokes that he would have preferred not to have had this. ''It's bad [to finish P1 in testing] how everyone expects greatness from us, and thinks we are going to win the championship. I am almost unhappy I was P1," concludes Norris who still hasn't lost his humor.