Aditya ChaudhuriThe British driver is now set to stay with the F1 team until 2025.
British Formula One team McLaren Racing have announced that their star driver Lando Norris has signed a contract extension, which will see the young Brit stay with the Woking-based team until the end of 2025.
Norris, who had already signed a contract extension right before the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, has now signed another extension upon that agreement. After finishing a career-best sixth in the Drivers’ Championship and finishing second in the Russian Grand Prix, Norris’ stellar 2021 season confirmed McLaren’s faith in him.
Lando Norris spoke about his future plans with the team, saying:
“Teams are about people, and I love the people and feel at home at McLaren. I have grown up in this team and I’m part of this journey we’re all on. Last season was another great step, both in my career and the team’s performance, and I see and feel all the work, investment, and commitment for the team to be in a position to challenge for wins and titles in the future. This all gives me huge confidence looking forward, so it was a natural decision to extend our relationship for the next few years.”
Norris also spoke about being contacted by other teams and what made him stick with McLaren:
“There were opportunities that I think we knew would be coming up in the future with various teams. This is a very strong message to put out [about] the faith we have in each other and how strongly I believe McLaren can still recover and get to the front in the next few years, even with those opportunities that could arise in one year, two years, three years’ time.
“There were little chats here and there but that’s all and nothing went far. As soon as something came up, that’s when I would then continue going to Andreas and have a little conversation about what our future holds and so on. There were little things, no point lying about it; there were little things here and there with other teams, but nothing that went far at all.
“I have to weigh in all the factors – it’s still my own career that I am focusing on. I looked at all the best options for me… as a driver, the best for me as a person and in the longer term, what is the best thing for me. Of course, there will be opportunities for other drivers I am sure [to] maybe go to Red Bull or Mercedes. Who knows if I would have had those opportunities? I think the fact that it’s known, or the fact I would have had those opportunities but I still chose to stay with McLaren, is the good thing about all of this – that I know those opportunities, or I am confident that those opportunities would arise in the next few years.
“But the fact is, I still have chosen to commit to McLaren, so I think that’s quite a strong message, it’s quite a strong thing that this is still where I want to be, it’s where I want to achieve race wins and podiums and championships, and that’s all.
“It just shows it’s a very strong message. I did weigh in all the factors for my own benefit and what I think could have come up in the next few years with drivers leaving and so on. But in the end, McLaren for me was still the best option, so that’s why I am most happy to be here and commit to my team.”
Andreas Seidl, Team Principal, McLaren F1, added:
“The opportunity to extend our relationship with Lando reflects not only our commitment but our belief and confidence in his talent. It is also a strong sign of trust and commitment from Lando in us as a team and our journey to world championship contention. Lando has shown impressive growth as a Formula 1 driver over the past four years and has been an instrumental part of the team’s momentum and performance trajectory. We are still on our journey to fight at the front and Lando is a key element of our plan, so to lock him into place, alongside Daniel and our senior leadership, gives us stability and continuity as we build towards our ultimate shared goal of world championships.”
Norris joined the McLaren family in 2017 and, after winning the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award, was promoted to the role of test and reserve driver in 2017 and 2018 before making his debut in 2019.
Norris’ teammate Daniel Ricciardo’s contract has the Australian staying with the team till 2023, and both the drivers will be next seen at their 2022 car launch on February 11.
