General
Norris' extension with McLaren gives Red Bull a blow
- Ludo van Denderen
McLaren are delighted after Lando Norris' contract extension: the team are making great strides technically, and with Norris and Oscar Piastri, the British team have the best duo in Formula 1 with an eye to the future. This gives Red Bull Racing a blow, as it was no secret that the Austrians had Norris on their radar. So, the reigning constructors' champion will (out of necessity) end up with a second-tier driver as Max Verstappen's partner for the next few years.
With the long-term commitment of Lando Norris, McLaren have immediately taken the sting out of the driver market for an extended period. The absolute top talents in Formula 1 - Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri (both McLaren), and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - have had contracts for many years. George Russell's contract may expire after 2025, but the Brit is firmly in his place at Mercedes. It is hard to imagine Russell switching to Red Bull or Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are more likely to wave goodbye than make another transfer.
Setback for Horner and Red Bull
Christian Horner also learned on Friday afternoon that Norris is committing his future to McLaren. The Red Bull team boss had spoken to the British driver several times about a possible transfer, but Norris decided to stay where he was each time. He has since developed at McLaren into an absolute winner, although Norris is still waiting for his first GP win.
In recent months, it seemed that Red Bull were patiently waiting for Norris to be a free agent after the 2025 season. Sergio Perez still has a one-year contract as Verstappen's partner, and for next season, Daniel Ricciardo is a very serious option as Red Bull's second man. The Australian is now 34, clearly not at the best stage of his career, but he was an ideal interim solution for 2025- at least until Norris could come in 2026.
Red Bull end up with second helpings
A line can now be drawn through that idea once and for all. If Red Bull start looking for a successor to Perez, it won't be an absolute top driver anyway. Not in 2025, but not after that either; that much is clear after Friday's news. What remains are drivers like Liam Lawson and Alex Albon. The former has talent, but surely it is no coincidence that Helmut Marko and his team have let him be a reserve for years. Albon has developed well at Williams, but it should not be forgotten that Albon didn't match up to Verstappen.
On the track, McLaren failed to beat Red Bull for victory last year, apart from a sprint race in Qatar. On the driver market, however, the Austrians were now trounced in the run-up to the 2024 season. This undoubtedly feels like an important win for McLaren in the increasingly exciting battle with Red Bull.