Norris has no ‘reservations’ over long-term McLaren F1 deal

On the eve of the Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren announced Norris had signed a new multi-year deal with the team.

The Woking-based outfit hasn’t won in F1 since 2012, while it hasn’t taken a world title since 2008 with Lewis Hamilton.

However, McLaren has enjoyed a strong resurgence in recent years following its barren spell with Honda, recovering to finish fourth and third in the constructors’ championship in the previous two season - having classified ninth in the championship as recent as 2017.

Even with the new rule changes on the horizon next year, Norris is confident in McLaren.

“No, I have good confidence in my team and McLaren,” Norris said ahead of this weekend’s Styrian Grand Prix. “I am happy. It is always a bit in the unknown. But I think we are heading in the right direction. I have a good team behind me. And I’m happy to stick with them for several more years.

“We will see. I have good confidence that they’re going to be strong but I’m sure there are going to be plenty of other teams that will be fighting us and are going to be strong too. But I’m happy with who I am.”

Norris has been one of F1’s star performers in 2021, finishing inside the top five in six of the opening seven races.

Sitting in fourth ahead of Valtteri Bottas in the drivers’ championship, Norris admits the fact that his long-term future in the sport is confirmed, is giving him the confidence to perform at his very best.

“It just gives you good confidence as a driver knowing that for X amount of seasons that you’re staying put,” Norris added. “If you make a mistake it is not like you think it could be coming to an end. A lot of it is confidence.

“I don’t think there are too many other things to say. You can just focus on the rest of the season, you can focus on yourself, you can also have a bit of a longer-term plan of what you want for year two and year three and so on. As a driver, it gives you the confidence which you need in Formula One because it can be a very tough and cruel sport at the same time.

“You see with other drivers and teams, how quickly things can be turned upside down and not go your way and so on. So having that security and that confidence going forwards is huge as a driver if you want to perform at your best.”