Very few drivers in F1 have been as close to each other as Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris are. The two of them became friends after Sainz joined McLaren in 2019, and went on to forge an inseparable bond. Fans began to affectionately label them as ‘Carlando’ and their friendship remained stronger than ever even after Sainz left Woking for Ferrari.
Sainz and Norris’ excellent relationship is visible even when they are away from the world of F1. They spend a lot of time together during holidays and share pictures & videos of them engaging in activities such as playing golf. In the Made with Love podcast with Olympic Champion Tom Daley, Norris spoke about his golfing adventures with Sainz, and answered the age-old question- who is a better golfer?
Norris and Sainz played golf together on Tuesday to relax before the race this weekend
“Who won?”
“We were teammates”#F1 #CanadianGP pic.twitter.com/Jhs1GXANNa
— Autosport (@autosport) June 17, 2022
Norris forcefully, but honestly admitted that Sainz is a better golfer than he is, but also emphasized the fact that the latter has been playing the sport for a lot longer. Norris revealed that he started playing golf only during Covid and that Sainz has years of experience. That is why, the Spanish driver defeats his former McLaren driver fairly comfortably during their golfing sessions.
Lando Norris speaks about his competitive spirit
F1 drivers are some of the most competitive athletes in the world. Their entire careers depend on finishing ahead of, not just their rivals, but also their own teammates. Norris, like everyone else, shares this same spirit, and it transcends into things away from the track.
Who has the lower handicap, you or @Carlossainz55? 😉
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 21, 2022
In his podcast session with Daley, Norris talks about how he is ultra-competitive even when he is not in F1. Even when they are having their media day, Norris wants to outshine everyone else who is a part of it, and he feels that it is very normal for a racing driver to be that way.
Norris’ disastrous start to the 2023 F1 season
Norris is one of the most talented stars in F1, and he has always been labeled as a future world champion. Unfortunately, McLaren have not provided him with a car to challenge for wins and races as of yet, and 2023 has seen the team take an even bigger step backwards.
Car problems and poor pace have seen the 23-year old finish 17th in the first two races in Bahrain and Jeddah respectively, which has been a disaster. Norris will be hoping that McLaren step up and perform much better in the coming races & years, otherwise, he may look elsewhere to fulfil his dreams of becoming an F1 world champion.
