Lando Norris has joked that he and Carlos Sainz - aka 'Carlando' - finished "in the wrong order" in the Singapore Grand Prix. The McLaren driver finished second at Marina Bay to Sainz, who deliberately slowed in the closing stages to give Norris DRS to defend against the charging Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Norris and Sainz were team-mates at McLaren in 2019 and 2020, striking up a good friendship, and often play golf and padel during time off. It was the second time they had both been on the podium - after a two-three at the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, but the first time with either driving winning, with Sainz ahead both times - which Norris noted.
'Carlando'
"It’s always nice to be on the podium with whoever that you respect and get along with so the first time we've been able to be P1 and P2 – it's in the wrong order! – but it's alright for now," Norris told media including RacingNews365. "We had our first podium in Monaco, we were both there. For Carlos to be on the top step is obviously great and he deserves it. "He's done a very good job the last few weekends but to be up there too and to share it... we've always got along since 2018, 2019. "It is always a pleasure and I'm sure and I hope there'll be more moments like it." For his part, Sainz commented on the mutual respect the duo share. " It always feels a bit better when you have someone that you get on well with and that you respect, both as a driver and as an athlete," he said. "As a person, it always feels better to share those good moments. And don't get me wrong, I think if he had a chance to pass me at any point he would have gone for it, for the win, but I just knew that that 0.8s/0.9s gap was enough to know that we could play smart."
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