McLaren chief makes Lando Norris prediction as Red Bull sent “priority” contract message
McLaren has unveiled its new look ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Lando Norris is gearing up for his biggest campaign ever and Red Bull are ready to sign him.
Lando Norris is set to take his first Formula 1 win in 2024, with McLaren making extending his contract a “high priority” amid interest from Red Bull.
Team principal Andrea Stella is confident that the British-Belgian driver who will drive the new MCL38 line this year has what it takes to reach the podium at next season’s Grand Prix. . The speculation comes as McLaren CEO Zac Brown is being linked with a move to Red Bull.
Norris, 24, has had a good campaign as he and teammate Oscar Piastri benefited from mid-season upgrades. Speaking at McLaren’s 2024 launch event at its Woking headquarters, Stella explained: “If you look at the numbers in Austria, Lando is the second highest scorer behind Max [Verstappen]. This shows the quality of the driver’s behavior. , can place it at the top of the grid. “The first win is always the most important, but then it gets a little easier. The main reason why that wasn’t possible was because we didn’t put Lando in a position to consistently fight for the win. “He’s ready to do that, and that means he’s ready to give us the vehicle to take advantage of the opportunity.”
Brown went on to say that McLaren would like to extend Norris’ contract beyond 2025, while Red Bull would sign the 24-year-old at the same time to replace Sergio Perez, whose contract expires. “We still have a contract with Lando for several years and of course we are in ongoing discussions with him,” the CEO said. “Obviously we’re very focused on the short term right now, but 2026 isn’t that far away. We recognize that keeping Lando and Oscar alive for the foreseeable future is a very important factor and a top priority for us.”
It’s your turn! Will Lando Norris take his first F1 win in 2024? Leave your guesses in the comments section. Brown added: “I have a lot of confidence in my relationship with Lando. I know he’s very excited about what he sees in the second half of the year. He loves working with Andrea and everyone on the team. It just creates an environment where he wants. to be. ‘I just want to give.’ We have to keep on giving. And I’m sure it will stay that way.”
Stella also said, “I think the relationship between Lando and Oscar is the strength of our team. Both have almost complementary handling characteristics in terms of ride and technology. In Lando’s case, it’s not clear how good he is, and sometimes he surprises us with the performances he can pull off.”
