Before the start of the 2024 season, Lando Norris reportedly rejected Red Bull in favor of staying at McLaren. The British driver was due to run out of a contract at the end of 2025 as part of his previous deal. However, before a heavily-interested Red Bull team could draw up an official offer, the Bristol-born driver signed an extension with the Woking-based outfit.
Red Bull is the most dominant team in F1 today and is considered to be a seat that drivers find difficult to turn down. Former driver Jolyon Palmer, meanwhile, explained why he wasn’t surprised with Norris’ decision to do so, per his column on F1’s website.
“As tempting as a Red Bull seat would be, the way that Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and Sergio Perez have been annihilated by Verstappen would make anyone think twice about joining a team so galvanised around a superstar driver.”
Following a strong end to 2023, McLaren continues to improve with a stable driver lineup in Norris and Oscar Piastri. The pace of their car is consistently improving and the drivers are starting to challenge for more and more podium finishes. However, a race win still feels far away.
BREAKING: Lando Norris has signed a multi-year contract extension with McLaren, remaining with the team beyond the 2025 season pic.twitter.com/RmQP2qWDyM
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) January 26, 2024
Max Verstappen and Red Bull continue to lead in that department thanks to the RB20’s superiority compared to other challengers on the grid. Aside from a mechanical failure in Australia, the Dutch driver remains unbeaten in all four races this year, taking his points tally to a staggering 110.
While the current ground-effect rules greatly benefit the Red Bull car, there are chances of the Milton Keynes-based outfit losing their advantage once the regulation changes kick in in 2026. Aside from that, other elements might also make Lando Norris‘ decision look like a smart move.
Red Bull’s increasing problems could be a great sign for Lando Norris
Intra-team turmoil has been haunting Red Bull throughout 2024. Some of the team’s biggest names are reportedly unhappy and are looking to leave the Milton-Keynes-based team. Rumors suggest that Adrian Newey is looking to step away from Red Bull as well. Should that happen, Verstappen and Helmut Marko could choose to head elsewhere too.
Lando Norris on why he did not want to drive with Max at Red Bull:
“I don’t think it’s a question of are you scared or not scared, I don’t think I’d ever be scared of going against anyone but even if you enter a team, are you in a position to challenge someone straight away and… pic.twitter.com/2iNHPSdACw
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) January 28, 2024
Furthermore, McLaren was able to secure the services of key members from Ferrari and Red Bull, strengthening their charge for 2024 and beyond.
Hence, if stability remains strong within McLaren, the team could soon become a strong contenders for the World Championship. Before that happens, however, they will have to become a team that will compete for race wins. This is something Lando Norris is desperately waiting for.
