by Lando Norris has signed a “multi-year” extension to his current McLaren contract, which was set to expire at the end of 2025. The British driver, one of the hottest properties on the Formula One grid, said he wanted to “put the rumors to bed ” that he could join another team – admired by Red Bull – and commit his future to Woking at an important time in the sport, with new regulations coming up in 2026.
Norris’s show of faith will be a huge boost for McLaren, who have real momentum at the moment. The British team improved the most on the grid last season, with Norris besting every driver bar, Red Bull champion Max Verstappen from mid-season onwards.
At an event last week to reveal their 2024 line-up, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella and chief executive Zak Brown said they were “very confident” the team could continue that upward trajectory, and Young Australian Oscar Piastri continues to push Norris, along with a new wind. tunnel, a new simulator, and two new senior engineers coming into play this season.
Norris, 24, agreed that the feeling around a team he joined as a junior driver for the first time back in 2017 was the best he had ever known.
“It’s definitely a new level from where we were,” he said on a media call to announce his new arrangement. “I’m sure, as a team, we have everything we need to achieve [a world championship].”
Norris did not deny that he had held talks with other teams, insisting that “everybody talks to everybody” in the paddock. But he said talks “didn’t progress” with anyone else, and he ultimately wanted to end any speculation as he enters the final two years of his deal.
Asked why he didn’t want to wait and see how McLaren progressed over the next 18 months, he replied: “Yes [his contract] it’s not something I want to worry about over the next few years, especially when it gets to a few years when things start to get a little crazier with everyone else’s contracts and people potentially moving teams and things like that.
“With the 2026 regulations and everything, that’s not something that I or the team want to think about. So I am comfortable. I am happy with where I am. And the team is happy with me. So it’s just an easy decision.”
Some could blame Norris for the challenge of taking on Verstappen at Red Bull. There is a lot of speculation that he had a second Red Bull seat if he wanted. But Norris said he was not sure Red Bull was a better option than McLaren after 2025. And he said he hoped his show of faith would inspire the McLaren team as a whole.
McLaren would not reveal any details of the contract but said it was a “multi-year” extension that “went well beyond his current contract”.
“I’m sure when you work here and you see one of your drivers connecting with other teams, that’s probably not going to be easy to see,” Norris said. “So I think for me, to give everyone here at McLaren a little more confidence in me, to show my confidence in our team, I think that’s probably the most important thing. That I am committed to the team and to stay and that I chose McLaren over Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, whatever team there might be. Yes, they now have that assurance that I chose McLaren over them all.”
Stella, who was the performance engineer for Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen when they won titles at Ferrari, said he was convinced Norris had all the tools to become world champion.
“Lando definitely stands together or has the same type of world champion material,” said the Italian. “He has the basic talent, the mentality, the work ethic. It’s all ready to go. He needs to keep growing, as all champions do.”
When asked how soon he hoped to challenge for the title – whether it was possible before 2026 or just after the new regulations came into effect – Norris said he was not sure.
“There were moments last year when we were close to winning the races,” he said. “And last year, when you think about it, [Red Bull] was the most competitive car ever in Formula One.
“But fighting for a championship is a bigger step. If you ask me ‘Do you think you can win races this year?’ I would probably be more inclined to say yes. But to get straight to ‘Can you win races and the championship?’ I think that’s another level, for me and for the whole team.
“But I think I’m ready to go up against Max and Lewis [Hamilton] and fight against them. We’ll see how we do this year and then you can ask me that question again.”
