Norris loyal to McLaren but must keep ‘options open’ – Brundle

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Martin Brundle commends Lando Norris for his loyalty to McLaren but urges the young Briton to keep his options open considering Red Bull’s interest in his services.

Among F1’s impressive young drivers gunning for glory behind reigning world champion Max Verstappen, Norris is at the top of the crop along with Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc

While the Monegasque is said to be on the verge of extending his allegiance to the Scuderia beyond 2024, the current term of his contract, Norris is committed to McLaren until the end of the 2025 season.

Rumors have repeatedly alleged that Red Bull is keen on luring the 24-year-old to Milton Keynes to replace Sergio Perez, while Norris has admitted holding talks with the bulls in the past.

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However, the Mexican is contracted to Red Bull until the end of next year. So either the championship-winning outfit extends the latter’s deal an additional year, after which Norris would be free to join the team, or Perez is dismissed in 12 months and replaced potentially by Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson.

“Whether you’re the team boss or whether you’re the drivers, you have to say, ‘I only have eyes for one team one driver pairing’,” Brundle wrote in his Sky Sports column.

“But it’s a very small business, relatively speaking and your career whizzes past, you’ve got to keep your options open.

“Loyalty pays, especially these days in F1 teams, you can build something together.

“But if he sees another year out without a victory, he’ll have to, and in any event, he should be making sure he’s in the best possible place to win a World Championship.”

Norris’ mindset regarding his future will most likely be determined by the success of McLaren’s upcoming packages.

Brundle is confident that team papaya can provide Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri with a competitive car that can consistently take the fight to Verstappen and Red Bull.

“They have got a great driver line up and the team seem to be in the ascendancy,” added the former Grand Prix driver.

“I’m not sure the wind tunnel will really be on stream yet for making a big change but they seem to understand their car, every time they brought an update it really moved it forward, which suggests that all their data is matching up with track performance.

“I just think for the sake of all of us, and for F1 and even for Red Bull, to be honest, we need not just McLaren, but Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes and everybody to close the gap.

“So fingers and toes crossed the McLaren and all the other teams can do that.”

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.