'Enjoyment and happiness' the 'deciding factor’ in new F1 deal - Norris

On Wednesday morning, McLaren announced that Norris had signed a new contract to keep him with the team until 2025.

The young British driver signed a new multi-year deal on the eve of the Monaco Grand Prix following his impressive start to the 2021 season. 

Norris’ fine form continued as he scored four podiums and a maiden pole position to secure sixth in the championship. 

Despite earning a more lucrative deal, Norris insisted that money wasn’t the main factor in putting pen to paper again.

“And yes, it will definitely help me a little bit more - with all contracts that’s something that comes into it and something that if you do have a good season then naturally will rise a little bit, especially if there’s opportunities that we spoke about earlier from other teams or something that could have the opportunity to arise in the future, that’s something that always helps with the money side of it,” he explained. 

“I know everyone says it but honestly that’s not the biggest thing for me. I’ve always said my enjoyment and happiness comes above all and that’s still for me the most important thing. So that for me is the deciding factor in all of this. And of course I said at the time I wouldn’t have moved to Monaco and so on but things change and with that still my happiness and still my enjoyment is above everything.

Despite having tentative interest from other teams in the paddock, Norris wanted to commit to the team that gave him his first F1 opportunity back in 2019.

“That’s why I want to stay here,” he added. “I’m sure I could have had the opportunity to go elsewhere in the future but for the next four years and for a good part of my life I want to stay here and enjoy the time I’m with McLaren and the people that kind of brought me into the sport and so on. I’m just very happy to be with who I am and that’s more important than anything else.”