Lando Norris emerged as a pivotal figure in the 2026 driver market, poised for potential moves before sealing a multi-year extension with McLaren ahead of the 2024 F1 season.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown acknowledged that Norris had the opportunity to explore various options for 2026, yet he chose to commit to McLaren due to their shared ambition for “unfinished business.”
Surprising many during the recent winter hiatus, Norris inked a contract extension with McLaren, positioning himself to navigate the new power unit regulations in 2026 alongside the British team.
His decision preceded Lewis Hamilton’s confirmation of joining Ferrari in the forthcoming year, prompting speculation about Norris’s timing. Despite links to other paddock giants like Red Bull and Mercedes, the 24-year-old opted to stay put with McLaren.
While Red Bull has expressed admiration for Norris, it seems unlikely that he will make a move to Milton Keynes soon. Since his F1 debut in 2019, Norris has remained loyal to McLaren, contributing significantly to their resurgence as podium contenders.
McLaren’s retention of both Norris and Oscar Piastri, who extended his contract last year until the end of 2026, solidifies their roster of young talent ahead of the new regulations.
Brown expressed great satisfaction with Norris and Piastri’s commitment to McLaren, underscoring the team’s optimism as they anticipate the challenges and opportunities of the 2026 regulations.
Brown stated; “It’s great. I mean, you need two great Grand Prix drivers, and I think that’s exactly what we have. And given their experience and their age, I think we’ve got a great driver lineup for the foreseeable future.
“[It’s a] big build of confidence from our drivers to want to stay with us, especially when Lando, I think, being shortly out of contract could have gone probably anywhere in the pit lane and chose to stay, because we still have a lot of unfinished business to do.
“So the team morale is in great, great shape. Pitwall is happy, everyone back at the factory is doing a fantastic job. So we just need to keep our heads down, and this is a tough sport. So it’s going to take a while to continue to get to the very top but we’re looking at everything we’ve got this year.”
