Lando Norris shares the truth about “discussions” to join McLaren’s rivals

Lando Norris has opened up on the extent of talks held with other F1 teams to quit McLaren.

Norris penned a new contract to stay at McLaren which, although the exact duration has not been made public, could reportedly run until 2028 or 2029.

The highly-touted British driver had been linked to future switches Mercedes and, particularly, Red Bull.

He told Sky Sports about the secret talks with unnamed teams: “There’s always discussions, every now and then.

“I’m not going to lie and say ‘no!’ There are always little discussions.

“You talk to people and say ‘what could you offer’ kind of thing. But it never went further than that.

“There have always been things in the media, and stories written. It’s not the best thing for everyone here at the factory.

“If you’re working away making a part for my car, and you see ‘Norris has links to here or there’ it’s not the best thing to see.

“For the team’s sake we wanted to get it done now, to put those rumours to rest.

“I am convinced this is where I wanted to stay.

“As much as there was ‘hey, how are you’ at other places, it never went further than that.

“As soon as I came back here, it was a done deal.”

Norris’ great friend Alex Albon jokingly claimed there would always be a place for him at Red Bull.

The seat next to Max Verstappen is due to become vacant for 2025, with Sergio Perez struggling to cling on and Daniel Ricciardo waiting in the wings, but Norris will now no longer be a contender to join.

Asked about the lure of Red Bull, Norris pointed towards McLaren’s dramatic improvement from the middle of last year.

“We are talking about the most competitive and successful car in the history of Formula 1 over a season – and I think you have to include the driver in that too,” he said.

“How close we got at certain places with where we started the season? I think it was pretty impressive.

“To go from out of the points pretty much every single race to being probably the closest team on average to the most successful car that’s ever been in Formula 1…

“I think that showed me enough, and showed everyone here at McLaren enough, that we have what it takes to challenge them.

“Therefore I want to create my own chapter and my own story of being with McLaren and turning the team around and being part of that journey.

“Of course there’s always interest and in the back of my mind.

“‘What would happen if I went here and what could I achieve,’ and so forth.

“But I’m happy with where I am, I’m comfortable and I think in order to achieve a World Championship you need to be happy and comfortable with where you’re at.”