Lando Norris made his F1 debut in 2019 and has gone on to be recognized as one of the sport’s biggest talents. So far, he has spent the entirety of his career with McLaren and has six podium finishes to his name, but what he is really looking for is that next step.
Norris is often labeled as a future world champion, and he wants to drive a car that can win races consistently. Unfortunately for him, McLaren isn’t the team for that. They showed signs of progress in 2020 and 2021, which presumably made Norris sign a huge extension with them.
In 2022, Norris penned a deal that will keep him in Surrey until the 2025 season. This deal in total is worth $80 million but according to F1 expert and Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok, Norris will look to buy himself out. Chandhok feels that McLaren’s disastrous performance in the opening rounds of the 2023 season has convinced Norris that he has to change teams.
Why is Lando Norris looking to change teams?
Norris wants to drive the best cars that win races regularly and there are multiple top teams who could be keeping an eye out for the 23-year-old. McLaren’s inferior mechanical package is one of the reasons behind Norris wanting to move away but there is another thought behind it.
According to Chandhok, Andreas Seidl leaving the team to join Sauber affected Norris’ morale. Seidl, who was the team principal of McLaren since 2019, is one of the smartest minds in F1, and his presence always gave the drivers hope that performance-wise, the car would get better eventually.
However, ever since Seidl’s departure, Chandhok feels that Norris has no desire to continue with McLaren in the long run.
Which team will Norris join after leaving McLaren?
Norris will evidently want to join a top team if he decides to leave McLaren before his contract ends. One of the teams that has reportedly been interested in the Bristol-born driver is Red Bull. The Milton-Keynes-based outfit are reportedly looking for drivers to replace Sergio Perez after his current deal expires in 2024.
Norris is one of the names Red Bull will be considering. Other than the Austrian team, Norris could also keep an eye out for developments at Mercedes and Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton retiring in the coming years, could open up a spot in Brackley. However, if Charles Leclerc decides to leave Ferrari to become Hamilton’s replacement, Norris could head to Maranello to put on the red overalls.
