Bahrain GP: Lando Norris tips Haas as rival for McLaren

McLaren driver Lando Norris says that there is every chance the Haas cars will be a rival for him and the British team at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, with the Bristolian explaining that the field is looking very tight after testing last weekend.

The brand new Formula 1 season gets underway this weekend as the Sakhir circuit plays host to the curtain-raiser for the 2022 campaign.

It’s a track the teams are already familiar with this year, too, with the last period of testing taking place there and whilst Red Bull and Ferrari looked particularly strong, McLaren had a number of issues from brake problems to Daniel Ricciardo being struck down by covid.

Indeed, their running was very limited after a strong showing in Barcelona at test one in February, and Norris believes that behind Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes, it’s pretty much anyone’s guess as to who is best of the rest, and that includes last year’s strugglers Haas:

“The three teams there are looking the fastest at the minute and I would say everyone else is looking pretty close, from us, down to Haas.

“Even Haas looked very quick, [which is] surprising considering how far off they were last year and I’m impressed to see the progress they look like they’ve made so far.

“I think even we need to be prepared to be racing against them and qualifying against them so we’ll see next week.”

Haas, of course, sacrificed the 2021 season and did not develop their car during the campaign last year in order to fully focus on 2022, with Mick Schumacher now joined by Kevin Magnussen after Nikita Mazepin’s removal.

Both the Dane and the German set quick testing times at points over the three days in Sakhir, too, so there is every chance that they could be mixing it further up