Lando Norris has been linked with a move to Red Bull ever since Sergio Perez’s poor form began this year. The Mexican has come under immense pressure recently, having failed to qualify for Q3 on five consecutive occasions this season despite having the fastest car on the grid. As for Norris, he’s seemingly in the form of his life, having clinched two podiums in his last three races. It is this kind of stunning form that has resulted in him having links with top teams like Red Bull. Moreover, with McLaren having been struggling until very recently, Norris has admitted that he has also had thoughts about leaving.
McLaren’s struggles have been evident as the team has only registered one win in more than a decade now. However, if their performances in recent races are anything to go by, then they may not be far away from getting back to winning ways soon.
McLaren were out scored by only #RedBull in the last 4 races before the summer break 😳
📸 [via: @autosport]#F1 #Formula1 #McLaren #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/FLIrchBUD4
— McLaren F1 News 🏴🇦🇺 (@TheMcLarenZone) August 3, 2023
The only major hurdle that the Woking-based outfit now faces before they can start winning races again is Red Bull. This is because the Milton Keynes outfit has had a remarkable season so far, having won all the 12 races. Considering Red Bull’s recent run of success, it seems unsurprising that Norris would want to race for them.
Lando Norris opens up about wanting to leave McLaren
Lando Norris is arguably one of the most loyal F1 drivers, having signed a long-term deal with McLaren despite many suggesting him, not to do so at the time. But now, he too has admitted that at one stage he thought about leaving.
While speaking in an interview with Sky Sports recently, the 23-year-old said, “In the back of my mind, there’s that impatient game of, ‘do I stick it out for another few years, or is it time to look at something different‘”? He then added that one of the key reasons he is now keen to stay is McLaren’s resurgence in form.
With McLaren having shown signs of improvement, Norris is confident that he will stay at the team until his contract expires in 2025. The Woking-based outfit have undoubtedly shown remarkable improvement as from fighting at the back of the grid at the start of this season, they are now challenging for podiums. However, despite their resurgence, they are still far behind from matching Red Bull.
McLaren’s remarkable step forward still isn’t enough to beat Red Bull
While speaking in the same interview with Sky Sports, Lando Norris seemed so optimistic about McLaren‘s current position that he expects to fight for podiums on a consistent basis for the rest of the season. While the Briton acknowledged that beating the likes of Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari will not be easy, he at least still expects to be in the fight against them.
However, when it comes to leaders Red Bull, the 23-year-old feels that McLaren have no chance of beating them. Interestingly, Norris has made these remarks despite McLaren’s recent upgrades having worked wonders in helping them return to the front of the field.
Hence, considering that Norris is still not confident that his team can beat Red Bull, it just shows how far ahead the Milton Keynes outfit are in terms of development.
