Lando Norris believes he and Carlos Sainz are “pl꧂aying the long game” by working together and enjoying a close relationship as teammates at McLaren, helping advance the team further up the grid.

Norri💖s made his F1 debut in 2019 with McLaren alongside Sainz as part of an all-new liܫne-up for the team.

The pair struck up a friendly and fun 𝔍relationship off-track, and helped lift McLaren to fourth place in the constructors’ championship, marking its best season since 2012.

Speaking at Autosport International, Norris said the chances were “slim” that he and Sainz would get on as well as they did, but felt 🔴the common goal of pushing McLaren forward meant they would not work against each other.

“Everyone always gives the view that because you’re teammates, you’🐲re always so much against each other and you’re just pure rivals,” Norris💃 said.

“I want to say we’re both kind of𓆏 looking at the longer gaꦏme that if we want to achieve what we want to achieve, which is to win races and win championships, the best thing is to work together.

“We wouldn’t have finished P4 in the championship as a team if we didn’t work as well togethe🦄r as what weꦿ did last year. A big part of what we have achieved is because of how we worked together, how we helped each other, how we try and help the team.

“B꧃ecause if we were just against each other, we didn’t help each other, we wouldn’t have been P4 in the constructors’, and quite frankly, we wouldn’t be in as good of a position as we are going into this season.

“At the moment, it’s only benefitting us in every way. I hope it continues. Li𓆏ke I said at the beginning, I just want to have fun and enjoy it, and he does as well.

꧃“I think that’s the first time two drivers have been able to show that, and I think that’s why it’s⭕ been able to come out so well.”