McLaren and Norris agree to wild plan for… Abu Dhabi GP!

Formula 1 could be in line for one of the most bizarre twists in its history when the 2025 season draws to a close later this year, with reigning world champions McLaren and current championship leader Lando Norris at the center of it all.

According to a well-placed source within Team Papaya, McLaren’s top brass has, in principle, agreed to an audacious plan that would see Norris swap his helmet for a headset and replace Andrea Stella as team principal for the sport’s season finale in Abu Dhabi!

But why on earth would team and driver even consider such a radical switch?

From Banter to Bold Strategy

Last week, during McLaren’s preparations for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix, a briefing session at Woking brought together Norris, his crews, Stella, and McLaren CEO Zak Brown.

In a lighthearted exchange, Norris reportedly voiced his curiosity about what it would be like to run the team from the pit wall.

“I’d love a chance to spend a weekend overseeing the team – I reckon I’d do a decent job,” he quipped.

Brown, known for his playful yet ambitious nature, replied with a chuckle, “Keep talking like that, Lando, and we might just take you up on it.”

What started as casual banter, however, appears to have turned into a serious proposition.

The Deal: A Champion’s Last-Minute Career Change?

According to sources, Brown, Stella, and Norris quickly reached a tacit agreement: if Norris and McLaren clinch both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships with at least one race to spare, Norris will step into Stella’s role for the Abu Dhabi finale.

In turn, McLaren would open a race seat for a young talent – Arrow McLaren IndyCar star Pato O’Ward comes to mind – to make his F1 debut.

With McLaren’s blistering performances in Australia and China, the idea, while outlandish, isn’t entirely implausible.

©McLaren

Norris has long demonstrated a strong grasp on race strategy, and Zak Brown, ever the marketing guru seeking a publicity masterstroke, surely sees the appeal of giving a championship-winning driver a brief taste of team management.

Genius or Just a Gag?

Whether this is a genuine strategic play or just a lighthearted stunt remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure – the paddock will be watching closely as the season unfolds.

For now, McLaren remains tight-lipped, leaving everyone to speculate: could Norris cap off 2025 not just as a world champion, but as a one-race team principal, the youngest in F1 history?

Or is this just the kind of twist that sounds too good to be true – especially this time of year?

Time will tell.

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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.