Lando Norris no longer 'pooping' himself as McLaren launch 2020 F1 car

McLaren driver Lando Norris

Lando Norris said the new McLaren feels "more like my baby" and declared he is no longer "pooping" himself as he gears up for a second season in Formula One.

The British driver is, at the age 20, the youngest challenger on the grid, and he was wide-eyed with excitement at the revealing of McLaren's new MCL35 car on Thursday.

Norris finished 11th in the drivers' championship last season, helping McLaren to fourth in the constructors' standings in partnership with team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr.

He hopes to show progress in his second season, and predicted the new orange and blue car, again powered by Renault, will show impressive pace.

Norris said: "This car was made last year and everything that we went through last year - all our comments and discussions between us as drivers - has been put into this and based around that.

"It's a lot more my car - we've had the input into making this, so it feels more like my baby - and I can't wait to go and drive it."

Asked about his enthusiasm for year two of his career at the highest level, Norris said: "It feels very good.

"If I think back to this time last year, I was pooping myself a lot last year, especially at this point, whereas now I'm more confident and a lot more relaxed and that prepares me better for the season."

A new decade of racing starts here. Say hello to our 2020 @F1 contender.#MCL35 #FearlesslyForward pic.twitter.com/TlKM7zyBIs

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) February 13, 2020

Sainz called the new McLaren "a better package, a better car", adding: "I just have the feeling everything is coming together a lot better - we're growing as a team, we have a positive momentum going through, and we want to carry that over for this year.

The Spaniard scored a podium place when finishing third at the penultimate race of the 2019 season, a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix.

"It was very special, a very special moment in my career," Sainz said. "It was a bit of a weird podium, I must say, but something I enjoyed a lot."

Team principal Andreas Seidl expressed optimism for the campaign ahead but said: "It's important to not get carried away with what we achieved last year, which was great. It's a re-set - back to zero again for every team in the pit lane.

"We're starting a new season and everyone is having the same ambitious targets. For me, it's important to focus on ourselves.

"I'm very happy with what I've seen in terms of development of the car over the winter, so I think we can be quite optimistic going into the new season, but at the same time we need to be realistic as well.

"I think we have done our homework. The drivers have done a sensational job, along with the engineers."