McLaren sheds light on reason for long-term deal with Norris

McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl says it was the Woking-based outfit's "vested interest" to offer a long-term deal to Lando Norris, even though there were no competing offers for the young Briton's services.

Earlier this year, McLaren and Norris agreed on a new four-year contract, worth an estimated £80 million, that will see the 22-year-old race on with the papaya squad until the end of the 2026 season.

A the time, it was believed that McLaren had acted to quell any interest in its protégé from rival teams, with Red Bull rumored to have been interested in Norris.

But Seidl made clear that no other team had come knocking for its driver, one of Formula 1's most popular characters among the sport's growing number of fans.

"It wasn’t a matter of someone knocking," Seidl told Motorsport-Total.com.

"We have already been able to celebrate many successes together and Lando has made an extremely positive development from rookie to one of the top drivers in the paddock.

"So it’s clear we as a team have a vested interest in keeping him with us for as long as possible. And fortunately, Lando saw it that way too.

"In the winter, we held very positive talks. For Lando, it was important what his further journey in the team would look like, and that was convincing enough for him to commit to us for the long term.

"Which of course was a super sign for us as a team because it shows he has confidence in us as a team and in the journey we are on."

• Read also: Norris theorizes on cause for Ricciardo's struggles at McLaren

Last year, pundits predicted a tough time for Norris alongside McLaren's new recruit Daniel Ricciardo, an eight-time Grand Prix winner.

But from the outset, Norris outpaced his experienced teammate who has struggled to live up to McLaren's expectations.

Now in his fourth season of F1 racing with McLaren, Norris' experience makes him less dependent on a seasoned teammate for his personal development.

"I think a race driver can always benefit from a team-mate, whether that’s a rookie or a very experienced driver," said Seidl.

"But Lando, in his fourth year, is an established driver who knows exactly what he needs.

"I don’t necessarily think he needs a second driver for that. Rather, he simply needs the team around him to help him with it."

Nevertheless, Seidl insists Norris is still on a learning curve in F1

"You have to remember, when you’re in your fourth year in Formula 1 you’re still learning a lot," said the McLaren F1 chief.

"That’s still a point that makes me feel more confident going forward, thinking about what we can achieve together with Lando. He’s still a long way from being a complete race car driver.

"I think the important thing is he has shown he has everything it takes to remain a top driver in this paddock.

"But at the same time, he’s still a young driver and there’s more to come. That makes me very positive."

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