Victim of Infamous Red Bull Curse Reckons Max Verstappen Is the Reason Lando Norris Hasn’t Responded to Opportunity of a Lifetime

Vidit Dhawan | 07/10/2023
Victim of Infamous Red Bull Curse Reckons Max Verstappen Is the Reason Lando Norris Hasn’t Responded to Opportunity of a Lifetime

Lando Norris has been mightily impressive recently as he has finished on the podium in both his last two races. Since the Briton has delivered some fantastic performances, he has had links with some of the top teams like Red Bull. However, with two-time champion Max Verstappen currently leading the charge at Red Bull, the belief is that Norris is not keen to shift ship and be teammates with the Dutchman.

There has been some sort of a curse for whoever has been teammates with Verstappen. The 25-year-old has outclassed all of his teammates so far.

Prior to beating current Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez convincingly, Verstappen also beat both Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon. Hence, since Verstappen has been on another level, most drivers fear to be teammates alongside him.

Verstappen’s ex-teammate explains Norris’ hesitation to join Red Bull

Lando Norris is undoubtedly one of the top drivers on the current grid as he has delivered several impressive performances on a consistent basis. As a result, many consider him as championship material and one that can challenge the very best. While the 23-year-old has himself made it clear about how desperate he is to win, he has unfortunately not had the car to do so at the moment, with McLaren unable to match Red Bull’s pace.

Hence, many experts had suggested that if Norris is keen to pursue his goals, then he should move to Red Bull. Now, Max Verstappen’s former teammate Alex Albon is the latest to give his take on the same.

In a conversation with Sky Sports (as quoted by RBR Daily), Albon said, “I think if he (Norris) wants it, yes. But let’s see because I think no one enjoys to be Max’s teammate. It’s hard. I have experience with that. But if he’s confident in himself, which he should be, from what I hear, the invitation has been open for a while“.

Is moving to Red Bull the right call for Lando Norris?

Over the past few months, experts have had differing opinions about the course Lando Norris should take to fulfill his personal goals. Some believe that the Briton should move to Red Bull immediately, while others believe that he should not do so because of Max Verstappen.

When asked for his take on what Norris should choose, Eddie Jordan said on the Formula for Success podcast, “Please, Lando, my wish to you is to stay where you are. You’re not going to find much better“. The Irish businessman believes that since the Woking-based outfit have shown some real signs of progress, Norris will soon be able to achieve his goals with the team. While Jordan is of the opinion that Norris should not move to Red Bull, others like Will Buxton disagree.

In an interview, the British presenter expressed his surprise after he heard the news that the 23-year-old signed for McLaren again and turned down the Red Bull offer. Buxton believes that even if Norris moves to Red Bull, he will just need to suffer for two years, following which Max Verstappen may even end up leaving the sport.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee

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Vidit Dhawan

Vidit Dhawan, a Formula 1 Editor at The SportsRush, is intrinsically connected with everything around the sport — from the engine roar, the cacophony on the grandstands to the action. He fell in love with F1 during the inaugural Indian GP in 2011. After more than a decade of deep engagement with the sport, Vidit insists he will remain a lifelong fan of Fernando Alonso, and sees the future of F1 in Charles Leclerc. A sports fanatic from childhood, he discovered his passion for writing while pursuing a bachelor's degree in international and global studies. Vidit has written over 1,700 articles, ranging from news reports to opinions. He thrives covering live action, and loves to dig into the contrasting personalities in the F1 bandwagon and narrate their journey in life as well as the sport. Vidit also follows tennis and football, enjoys playing as well as coaching chess.