(Motorsport-Total.com) – After his disappointing race weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix, Lando Norris quickly sought a change of scenery. The McLaren driver traveled to Indianapolis after the race, where he met his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo as well as IndyCar driver Conor Daly.
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While Norris experienced a difficult afternoon at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Ricciardo enjoyed the atmosphere around the Indianapolis 500. For the Brit, the meeting was a welcome opportunity to leave the disappointing race behind and clear his mind.
McLaren had opted for intermediates before the start. Initially, the strategy seemed to pay off. Norris got a strong start, took the lead from third on the grid, and extended his lead to about two seconds by the end of the first lap.
Strategy gamble backfires
However, as the expected rain did not materialize, the tire choice quickly proved to be a mistake. Norris fell back in the standings during the race before having to retire early due to a technical problem.
At the same time, Ricciardo experienced his first Indy 500 as a spectator about 1,300 kilometers away at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Together with Conor Daly, the Australian followed the traditional race from the track.
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After Daly posted a group photo of the “men’s circle” in his Instagram story, fans immediately reacted very positively on social media to the reunion of the two former McLaren teammates.
Fans celebrate the friendship of the ex-teammates
One fan wrote on Reddit: “After that race, he desperately needed a guys’ night.” Another commented: “I think it’s great that Lando and Daniel have become such good friends in the end. Despite everything Daniel experienced at McLaren, you could see back then that the two had built a real friendship during their years together there.”
Another user wrote: “Lando for the Triple Crown!” Other fans also took the situation with humor. “If you ignore the disastrous race, he seems to be having a lot of fun today,” read one comment. Another user replied: “Since Daniel knows the suffering at the McLaren pit wall from his own experience, he’s not bad company to process a difficult race.”
In the drivers’ standings, after five of twenty-two races, Norris is currently in fifth place with 58 points. His current McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, with 48 points, follows him in sixth place. In the constructors’ championship, the “Papayas” from Woking currently hold third place with 106 points.
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