Lando Norris is unfazed by the possibility that he might have bypassed a chance to sign with Mercedes, having earlier this year committed to continue with McLaren.
In January, McLaren disclosed that Norris had agreed to a new deal that would see him stay with the team past 2025.
A mere six days afterwards, Mercedes unexpectedly announced that Lewis Hamilton would be departing at the year’s end, thus vacating a highly sought-after position on the team.
Nonetheless, Norris has expressed his contentment with staying at McLaren, the team where he began his F1 career in 2019.
“I’m very happy,” he said. “I could have waited, I had the choice. I knew opportunities were potentially coming my way.
“I knew what opportunities I had at the time last year and coming into this year and what could have happened or what is happening over the next couple of years anyway. So no regrets from any side.
“I’m confident in my team, I’m confident in what we’ve been able to achieve and what we can achieve going into the future and I’m very happy with where I am.”
“Of course, I could be happier if we’re achieving more of the goals that I think we all want to achieve,” he continued. “But the main point is I’m enjoying my time with the guys that I’m with and for me that’s always a big part of my life. I want to enjoy where I am, and I am.
“I think that’s an important part of trying to improve as a team at the same time, knowing everyone and pushing everyone, and I think everyone’s capable of getting to the goal of being the top team in Formula 1. So I’m very happy.”
Yet, Norris remains sceptical about McLaren’s ability to match the pace of last year’s leading two teams.
“We had a decent car at the end of last season and I think we’ve definitely taken some steps in the right direction,” he said. “But I think still a very long way behind Red Bull and a long way behind Ferrari.
“So there’s plenty of work for us to still try and achieve. But also plenty of things that we’ve learned over the last few days for us to implement before next week.”
