Listen to this article After a difficult start to the season for the McLaren squad there were signs of significant improvement across the Albert Park weekend. Lando Norris topped Free Practice 3 and was fourth fastest in qualifying, three spots ahead of Ricciardo. The pair then spent the majority of the race running in formation, Norris leading Ricciardo, as they came home a solid fifth and sixth. According to Ricciardo the result was the outcome of a “smoother” weekend for the team, and is proof that McLaren has made sooner-than-expected gains with its 2022 car. “I think that’s probably the best way to sum up the weekend – we’ll take it,” he said. “I mean, after Bahrain I was still very positive and I knew we could make a turnaround. I didn’t think it would happen already, so for that reason I’ll definitely take it. “The weekend as a whole has been just smoother, smoother for all of us. And we’ve shown a lot more for it. “I think parts of my race were more competitive. In the beginning I felt strong on the medium. But then on the hard that kind of last three quarters I dr …