'Unbelievable' Lando Norris issued dazzling praise: 'As quick as anyone'

Carlos Sainz has hailed the growth of former F1 team-mate Lando Norris who sealed his maiden drivers' title last month.

Norris took over the lead of the standings late on in the year amid a slump in form from team-mate Oscar Piastri and successfully fended off Max Verstappen's late surge.

The 26-year-old's title success came almost seven years after he made his grand prix debut with McLaren, having been partnered with Sainz for his first two seasons.

Reflecting on Norris' early years in F1, Sainz stated it didn't take long for him to notice the Briton's raw speed.

“At the time, obviously what I saw immediately from Lando was an unbelievable skill to drive the car at the limit and put together really good qualifying laps," he told media including RacingNews365.

"I've been team-mates with Charles, with Max, Lando. I've been team-mates with all the top guys on the grid by now, and I can tell you Lando has nothing left in his tank in terms of speed.

"His speed is as quick as anyone and even quicker than anyone on his good day.”

Sainz asserted Norris' speed hasn't changed since his debut, but rather he has worked on ironing out minor issues behind the wheel en route to title success.

“What he's developed the most is that consistency through the year, being strong on tracks that maybe he wasn't that strong in his first couple of years versus me.

"Now when I look at his driving and how strong he is everywhere, he's developed that skill that comes with more experience, which is to be quick in every circumstance, at every track.

“Now he's more of an all-rounder for sure than what he was in the first few years.

"But I don't think he's any quicker than those two years. When you arrive in F1, you're as quick as you can get.

“Then it's all about developing the skills of how to be quick in every type of corner or in every type of track."