As Sergio Perez continues to struggle in the shadow of world champion team-mate Max Verstappen, the rumours linking Lando Norris with a switch to Red Bull have intensified. However, with both drivers tied to contracts, no official approach has yet been made.
This hasn’t stopped figures from both Red Bull and McLaren commenting on the potential swap. McLaren are hopeful that they can keep hold of their star driver, while the reigning constructor champions can offer unbeatable machinery should they decide Norris is their man. Express Sport takes a look at the latest developments in the story…
Marko opens the door
Speaking in the wake of the Italian Grand Prix, Helmut Marko revealed that Norris is an option for the team once Checo’s contract expires. He told Servus TV: “Perez is not consistent. He is not always focused. But he has a contract until 2024 and Lando Norris has a contract until 2025. [It’s] unfortunate that it’s for so long because he would be one of the candidates.”
With the 23-year-old Brit now known to be on Red Bull’s radar as a potential replacement for the Mexican, Zak Brown will be desperate to keep his most marketable commodity involved in the McLaren setup.
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Mercedes told to take notice
Lewis Hamilton signed a new two-year contract with Mercedes ahead of F1’s trip to Monza last weekend, aligning his commitments to the Silver Arrows with that of Norris’ at McLaren. At 38 years of age, the seven-time world champion is entering the twilight years of his career and the Bristol-born driver could be the perfect long-term replacement.
Placing himself in Toto Wolff’s shoes, former F1 race winner Johnny Herbert told GiveMeSport: “I’d probably try and wiggle a way of making Lando ready because I see him as one of the better drivers that we’ve got that is probably going to be one of the available ones. That’s who I think I’d be trying to aim for.”
Rosberg’s insider intelligence
2016’s world champion Nico Rosberg weighed in on the debate about the Briton’s short-term future during Sky Sports’ coverage of the Italian GP. The retired German driver said: “Where’s he [Norris] going? Next year already, I hear there’s a switch coming.”
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With Mercedes and Ferrari’s driver line-up both confirmed to be staying with the team for the 2024 campaign, if Norris was to leave McLaren at the end of the 2023 season then the only logical destination would be Red Bull. If Chceo’s displays continue to underwhelm then Christian Horner could be tempted to trigger a switch ahead of schedule.
Zak Brown bites back
Despite the links connecting Norris to other teams on the grid, McLaren’s CEO remains confident that Norris will stay put at Woking until at least the end of his current contract. Speaking to ESPN earlier this summer, the American explained: “He loves McLaren, it’s been his family, so there’s no doubt in my mind is his number one choice is to win a world championship with McLaren.
“I think the best thing we do to retain him is to demonstrate to him we’re a team capable of doing that. It’s not a case of wooing him or not wooing him, it’s about giving him a car where he can look himself in the mirror and say ‘I think I can win a world championship with this team’.”
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