Lando Norris believes McLaren’s strong driver line-up is what currently separates them from other teams.
McLaren have won the opening two races of the season, Norris triumphing in Australia before Oscar Piastri led home a one-two for the team in China.
That has prompted talk of a title battle between the team-mates but rather than seeing that competition as an issue, Norris believes it pushes them to new heights.
“We are not that far ahead but I think it’s because we literally are the only team that has two good drivers at the minute,” Norris said ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
“That’s the big difference, you know, if one of us was doing a lot worse, or one of us was not as strong…
“I think just the fact we have two good drivers is obviously making the biggest difference.
“At certain cases, I don’t think we necessarily had the quickest car but the fact that we have two drivers pushing each other makes a bigger difference than people expect.
“Do I agree we have the best car? Yes. It’s nice to say that, I have not had that before in Formula One.
“Max (Verstappen) has had his time of having the best car by a long way and now it’s our turn.
“That’s the game, McLaren have done a very good job to be the best and make it better than everyone else, so we take the advantage while we can but the others are certainly not that far behind.”
Verstappen beat Norris to the title last season to clinch a fourth world championship but Red Bull have had issues with their second driver and have ditched Liam Lawson after just two races to replace him with Yuki Tsunoda.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has joined Charles Leclerc at Ferrari this season but accepts he needs time to get used to his new car.
Norris clarified why he believes McLaren’s pairing currently has the edge.
“The Ferrari one is experience – not in F1 because we are lacking in that department,” Norris added.
“Just two drivers who understand the team and have been at the team for a long time.
“Lewis is new to the Ferrari, he openly says he is learning how to use the steering wheel – the complexity of it not just how to use one!
“Is he going to be able to get every last bit out of it like me and Oscar can? No. It’s not that I think I’m much better than Lewis or Charles because I don’t.
“I would never put myself on a pedestal ever.
“But how we work as a team I do think is better than any other team, how we push each other and get more out of one another as two drivers is a real advantage.”
