When Daniel Ricciardo made his feelings known about how Lando Norris would fare inside an MMA octagon
Former F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo previously claimed that his ex-McLaren teammate Lando Norris would not fare well inside the MMA Octagon. The Aussie driver left the pinnacle of motorsport at the end of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, where he was unceremoniously dropped by the Visa Cash App RB F1 team.
The eight-time race winner made his comeback into the Faenza-based outfit after a disappointing two-year stint with McLaren. Despite being comprehensively beaten by his then-teammate Norris, Ricciardo shared a cordial and friendly equation with the British driver off the track.
Apart from being a fast racer, Ricciardo shares a love for American football and MMA. On several occasions, he has spoken about his admiration for the UFC fighters and regularly follows the coverage of the global sport.
While appearing on the UFC's official YouTube channel in 2021, Ricciardo was asked if he would take on Lando Norris inside the Octagon, to which the former Red Bull driver replied:
"He would not fare well in the Octagon. No chance."
Daniel Ricciardo had struggled alongside Lando Norris in their time as teammates despite bringing the only win for the Woking-based outfit in over a decade in Monza where he finished ahead of his young British teammate.
"It's not me having a dig or anything": When Lando Norris spoke about Daniel Ricciardo's struggles
McLaren driver Lando Norris previously stated that he does not think about his ex-teammate Daniel Ricciardo's struggles in the team during the 2022 season.
As per ESPN, the 25-year-old mentioned that he was just focused on his job of driving the car fast and was not worried about the Aussie's struggles in the same car, saying:
"I hate to say it, but I would say no. People will probably hate me for saying it but it's difficult because I never know if I might encounter that in the future with this car or with a different team or whatever, so I never want to contradict myself going into the future, but I've just got to focus on my driving."
However, Norris did admit that he was surprised by Ricciardo's issues in the car, adding:
"I guess I'm surprised because when Daniel came into the team everyone expected more. I'm sure himself even, he expected more from himself. It's not me having a dig or anything but when you look at the results... if you want two people to be at the same level then you're not surprised. It's hard to know when to call it, I guess, which is what they've done."
Daniel Ricciardo was ultimately dropped by McLaren at the end of the 2022 season, a year ahead of his contract expiring, and was replaced by fellow Aussie Oscar Piastri. The experience did make a dent in the confidence and the reputation of the flamboyant driver, as he struggled from there onwards.