Lando Norris shuns Red Bull to stick with McLaren | GRR
Just last September, Lando Norris said he was "open" to the possibility of joining good friend Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing. Five months later, such a prospect has become a very distant one as the British driver has now committed his long-term future to McLaren.
Even though Norris had two seasons remaining on an extended agreement he signed with McLaren in February 2022, he feels the time is right to finally quell the continual speculation that surrounded a potential move to Milton Keynes, even if he played a part in that.
As with Charles Leclerc re-signing with Ferrari for what the Monégasque described as "for several more years to come", so McLaren has adopted a similarly vague policy with Norris as CEO Zak Brown has refused to divulge exact details other than to say the latest contract is "for multiple years to come".
The likelihood is this deal will run to the end of 2027 and contain a break clause that would allow Norris to assess McLaren's form from 2026 once the new power unit regulations are introduced.
There is always the possibility of a major shift in the current landscape of performance bearing in mind the 24-year-old was second only to Verstappen, in terms of points scored, from last season's Austrian Grand Prix onwards when McLaren introduced a major upgrade on its MCL60 that propelled the team toward the front of the grid.
Norris has conceded there were discussions with Red Bull, albeit of a very general nature, and as with any team apparently, before it was quickly decided he would remain loyal to McLaren which gave him his break in F1 in 2019.
“Everyone speaks to everyone," said Norris, in conversation with invited media, including this writer, regarding his latest deal. "Every driver speaks to every team. It's not about sorting out contracts. It's about what a team can offer you, what can another team offer you, and things like that.
“But it's the same with every driver. Everyone speaks to every team and what we could potentially do one day, but nothing ever progressed more than that.
“So it was shut down quite quickly, and, of course, as soon as you do start to get some of these questions, and you see a lot of it, then you have talks internally with Andrea [Team Principal Stella], with Zak, with whoever it is at McLaren.
“Then you start talking about your own stuff, and you do want to put some of these rumours to bed because it's not a good question for the team, that they keep seeing day in and day out. So that's why we've come to a decision so early on and so quickly. Hopefully, that does put all of those questions to bed nicely.”
Rightly, and striking at the core as to the type of character Norris possesses, he claims that pledging his allegiance to McLaren was done to allay any concerns the team may have had regarding a possible exit, rather than for his benefit.
"For the whole team, for everyone at McLaren, when you work here and see one of your drivers being linked to other teams, it's probably never an easy thing," assessed Norris. From my side, to get everyone here at McLaren having that bit more confidence in me – and it shows my confidence in the whole team – I think that's the most important thing, and the thing I'm happiest about with getting the contract out.
"They're now even more assured that I'm committed to the team, that I'm staying, and I've picked McLaren over Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, whatever team it could have been. They now have that reassurance. So I think it's more for them than for myself."
Norris understandably concedes that but for the remarkable turnaround in form last year, it is extremely unlikely he would have pledged his allegiance as early as he has, given he had an exceptionally lucrative contract that did not expire until the end of next year.
Since Stella was appointed team principal a year ago, there has been an astonishing transformation, not just on track but also behind the scenes. The team's new state-of-the-wind tunnel went online last year, while there is also a new simulator, and Stella has recruited significant names such as Rob Marshall and David Sanchez.
After 17 years with Red Bull, most recently serving as chief technical officer, Marshall has taken on the role of technical director, engineering and design. After 11 years with Ferrari, Sanchez has returned to McLaren as technical director, car concept and performance. From 2007 to 2012 he served as McLaren’s senior aerodynamicist and aerodynamics team leader.
For Norris, all the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place, and when you add in his emotional connection with the team, the outcome was obvious in his bid to become a world champion.
"That's still a goal for me," said Norris. "I always have these things in the back of my mind when I'm making these decisions. Of course, over the last few years, there's been a lot of tough ones, but I still enjoy it. I've always enjoyed being part of where I am and working with the people that I've worked with. But now and then, you're going to have that little question of 'Is this the place to be to achieve that next goal that I want, which is to be the world champion?'
"So, in the back of my head [have been questions like], 'Are we improving as much as I feel like we should? Am I giving myself the best opportunities?' and so forth. There's always been those little discussions that I've had with my team and things like that.
"But with how we turn things around, how Andrea turned things around last year, and how the whole environment is here at McLaren currently, that's a big thing which swings in the direction of McLaren. Because it is also results-led. If we didn't score podiums, after as bad a start as we had last year, then there are going to be more questions, that I'll get to [20]25 and I'll see what happens.
"But with how things went, with what I believe we have coming, and the confidence I have in the whole team over the next few years, going into a refresh in '26, where so many things change, there are not many other things you can be guaranteed of, or assured of with any team.
"At the same time, it comes back to where I will be happiest, and where am I most confident I can achieve a world championship. If you'd asked me at the beginning of last year, maybe it wouldn't have been McLaren, but now I'm more confident than ever in saying it's going to be McLaren."
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.