Norris piles pressure on Ferrari with Canada 'favourite' tag

Lando Norris has made Ferrari favourites for the Canadian Grand Prix, but believes it will be "very close" between them, his McLaren team and Red Bull.

Both McLaren and Ferrari have taken big steps forward with upgrade packages over recent races, and both ate into Red Bull's Constructors' lead with an off-weekend for the world champions in Monaco as the other two finished 1-2-3-4. 

Norris defeated Red Bull and Max Verstappen during the last North American race in Miami, but feels the long straights, medium speed chicane track of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will best play into the hands of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. 

"They are favourites, and with kerb-riding which is a big part around here, it is going to be close," Norris told media including RacingNews365 of Ferrari.

"It is impossible for me to say if it is going to be us, Ferrari or Red Bull on top - and that is exciting because none of us really know and it is going to be very close, as it has the last three or four weeks.

"But Ferrari is probably the favourite because of the decent straight-line speed, and I know they complained a bit, but they should try and just put a little bit less rear-wing on. 

"But as an all-round car, I think they probably have one that suits this track the best, but we will find out tomorrow."

Norris also touched on why he felt McLaren would struggle somewhat in Montreal - a track it last claimed a podium at with Lewis Hamilton's 2012 victory, and brushed aside concerns about potential wet weather across the weekend.

"The last few weeks, we've been good in both conditions, so I don't really mind which, and I think we have strengths and weaknesses in both conditions," he said.

"We know that we don't have the best DRS, and there are some fairly long straights here, so we know that we ae probably going to lose a little bit of time compared to Ferrari and Red Bull and what we need and what we should have as a top team.

"But it is stuff we are still working on - we are trying to make updates and bring that little bit of lap-time everytime we go out."