When it comes to performance, Lando Norris and McLaren have gone from bad to worse. Once the very dominant team in Formula 1, is now reduced to its shadows. If this is continued for long, chances are they might lose their star driver Norris to Ferrari.
As per multiple speculations, Lewis Hamilton’s departure from the sport can bring a merry-go-round in F1. With a seat vacant in Mercedes after Hamilton’s departure, rumors tie Charles Leclerc as the perfect replacement for him.
Big day for us yesterday! Getting the new car on track is always a huge moment, so massive shout to everyone at @McLarenF1. Bring on tomorrow pic.twitter.com/dsAt24z7K9
— Lando Norris (@LandoNorris) February 22, 2023
Leclerc leaving Ferrari means the Italian team will have a seat to fill, and Norris could be the ideal driver to replace the Monegasque. This will only be possible if the Woking-based team doesn’t pull up their socks and build a competitive car by 2025.
The 23-year-old has a contract with the British team until the end of the 2025 F1 season. It’ll very much be depending on McLaren if they can do enough to retain their star driver and stop Ferrari from poaching him. However, as for now all of these are just rumors going around in the media.
Why would Ferrari be a perfect place for Norris?
Norris, from the day he joined F1, has shown how fast he can be on a good day. From having the pole position in Russia in 2021 to P2 in Monza that year, the young Briton can excel when the time’s right. But of course, one needs to sit in a competitive car, which McLaren isn’t at the moment.
Having excelled in the junior categories, his aggression combined with agility and car control can be the perfect weapon for Ferrari, if the Prancing Horse wants to take a shot in the constructors’ championship.
It was always going to be a tough race after damage to both cars early on. We’ll debrief and go again in Melbourne.#SaudiArabianGP 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/Dph0DgdmeJ
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) March 19, 2023
Interestingly, Norris’ former teammate Carlos Sainz also jumped ship from McLaren to Ferrari back in 2021. It’ll be interesting to see if the 23-year-old follows suit and joins the Spaniard for a reunion, only if Sainz doesn’t lose his seat by then.
Why Ferrari, but not Red Bull?
Admittedly, Red Bull tied Max Verstappen until the end of the 2028 season. And having two drivers going for the championship might destabilize the team, as happened in 2018. Hence, it’s unlikely that the defending champions will try to bring in Verstappen’s best friend.
Furthermore, Ferrari is yet to extend the contract of the drivers. And if undone, this might be a good opportunity for Norris to jump in only if his contract expires. Both Leclerc and Sainz have contracts with the Maranello-based team until 2024.
As Ferrari is still to renew the contract on their drivers, Hamilton is waiting on the wing as well. One departure or switch might trigger yet another merry-go-round in F1, similar to what happened in Sebastian Vettel’s time.
