Lando Norris says McLaren’s turnaround through 2023 played a major part in him pledging his long-term future to its Formula 1 team.
McLaren announced on Friday that Norris has signed a long-term contract extension to remain at the team beyond 2025.
McLaren started last season on the back foot but a series of update packages through the season propelled the team into contention, with Norris scoring seven podiums.
“There’s me that wants to be a World Champion and also me who is doing it because it’s what I grew up just loving to do,” Norris said.
“I always have to have these things in the back of my mind, and of course over the last few years there have been a lot of tough ones. I’ve still enjoyed it, I’ve enjoyed being a part of where I am and working with the people I work with.
“But every now and then you have got to have that little question of ‘is this the place to be to achieve that next goal that I want, to be the World Champion?’
“There have always been those little discussions that I’ve had with my team and stuff like that, but with how we turned things around and how Andrea [Stella] turned things around, how the whole environment is here currently, that’s a big thing that swings in the direction of McLaren.
“It is also results led – if we didn’t score podiums and we had it as bad as what we did last year [’22], there are going to be even more questions of whether I should wait until ‘25 and see what happens.
“But with how things went and what I believe we have coming, and the confidence that I have in the team over the next two years, and going into a refresh in ’26 when so many things change, really there are not many other things that you can be guaranteed on or assured with any team.
“So at that same time it comes back to where will I be happiest? And now where am I most confident where I can achieve a world championship? If you had asked me at the beginning of last year, maybe it wouldn’t have been McLaren. But now I think I am more confident than ever in saying it will be McLaren.”
Norris’ extension comes with two seasons left to run on the deal he signed in early 2022, but he explained he was keen not to have any pressure either internally or externally on his future.
“I’m in a good position, it’s not something I want to worry about over the next few years,” he said. “There’s always been these discussions going on, on our future, and I think it’s a very good time, especially when it’ll be coming to a couple of years when things start to get a bit more crazy with everyone else’s contracts and people potentially moving teams and things like that.
“And just going into 2026, and those years of the new regulations and everything, it’s not something I or the team want to be thinking of, or focusing on, or spending any time on in such an important couple of years. Yeah – simply because I can, I’m comfortable, I’m happy with where I am, the team are happy with me so it’s an easy decision.”
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