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Rival teams wanted Norris, says Brown

14:31, 04 Sep 2018

byBobby Vincent

McLaren CEO Zak Brown reveals that rival teams were wanting the signature of Lando Norris, who has recently been added to the team's line-up for next season.

Yesterday, it was announced that Norris would be making the step up to Formula One and be joining Carlos Sainz at McLaren for next season.

Norris is to replace Stoffel Vandoorne, who is now without a side next season with very limited options.

One potential option for Vandoorne would be Toro Rosso - and Brown confirms that the Red Bull junior side wanted to sign Norris.

"We knew he would have been snapped up by another team," Brown explained, when questioned about whether the competition for Norris forced McLaren into signing him for next season.

"We were ultimately always on an around-the-summer-break timeline so we weren't pressured by that (and) didn't make a decision driven by that but we're fully aware that if he wasn't going to be driving for us it would be someone else.

"I assume it would have been Toro Rosso. I think (there was), based on the phone calls I got, more than one team interested in him."

Brown is also a part of the 18-year-old's management team, but he rubbishes reports that said that had an influence on the decision.

"I've been looking after Lando before I started at McLaren, before he came to McLaren," Brown said.

"It's been very transparent from day one with the shareholders what we do. I'm not the first person to have that type of relationship in the sport or in business and ultimately what you do is you put good governance in place and so in this instance the driver decisions, group decisions go up to Executive Committee."