Star McLaren driver Lando Norris has been in the news recently after his outstanding performance in the British Grand Prix. The 23-year-old finished second, just behind reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen. And as the $20,000,000 salaried Norris continues to perform, there are rumors of some of the rival teams wanting to sign him. While most of the reports claimed that Red Bull was eyeing a move for him, a shocking report has emerged that states that Ferrari already has a pre-contract with the British driver.
And it is pertinent to note that this rumor arises at a time when the future of both Ferrari drivers also remains uncertain. The contract of both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz ends at the end of next season, and both are yet to sign an extension.
If any of these drivers were to leave Ferrari, an opportunity could open up for Norris. However, it is pertinent to note that the 23-year-old seems committed to McLaren as he signed a long-term deal with them that ends at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Will Lando Norris pick Ferrari over Red Bull?
According to British F1 journalist Joe Saward, Lando Norris has a clear plan for his F1 future. And that is to move to Ferrari once Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz decide to leave.
Joe notes in his blog, JOEBLOGSF1, that both Norris and Alex Albon have received quite the attention recently. And that the rumors state that both have links to both Red Bull and Ferrari.
While Joe is not certain about how much of a move away from McLaren would make sense for Norris, he believes that the 23-year-old already has “some kind of pre-contract with Ferrari“. Joe believes that this move does not make sense for Norris because of Ferrari’s ongoing struggles.
However, it is pertinent to note that McLaren has not performed much better either as they are currently below Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship. Hence, it is possible that the only reason that Norris is perhaps tied to McLaren is because of the long-term contract he signed with them.
Is Norris staying at McLaren because of his long-term contract?
McLaren was quick to sign Lando Norris to a long-term contract after he finished sixth in the championship in the 2021 season. What made the Briton’s performance even more impressive that year is that he outscored more experienced teammate Daniel Ricciardo in both the seasons they were teammates.
And with Norris signing a contract that offers him a whopping $20,000,000 salary, it would be very difficult for any of the rival teams to sway him away. As per The Sun, the overall deal is worth a whopping $94,000,000.
Many speculations had arisen at the time Norris had signed such a long-term contract as McLaren is currently struggling to deliver. However, the 23-year-old was adamant that this was the right move for him, having stated that he wants to win with the team. With Norris seemingly committed to staying at McLaren, it will be interesting to see if he decides to leave the team after his current contract ends or not.
