Lando Norris has stated that he may be looking at “something different” once his contract with McLaren expires in 2025, amid sources linking him with a move to Red Bull.
Norris has impressed in recent weeks, achieving back-to-back second-place finishes at the British and Hungarian GPs in July.
Many believe that Sergio Perez’s position at Red Bull is in jeopardy as he has failed even to challenge teammate, Max Verstappen, for the 2023 world championship.
Much of the F1 world was shocked in February 2022, when Norris put pen to paper with McLaren and extended his contract to 2025.
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This was seen as a declaration of loyalty to McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown.
Norris said that he felt settled with the Woking-based outfit and this contract extension was seen as proof of the 23-year-old’s long-term commitment.
However, Norris has expressed frustration at his vehicle this season, in particular at the Spa-Francorchamps last weekend.
The British driver got off to an awful start at the Belgian Grand Prix and blamed the McLaren car’s lack of straight-line speed, among other factors.
Perez’s contract with Red Bull expires at the end of 2024 and rumours about his potential replacement have been circulating.
Norris’s close friendship with Verstappen cemented his status as a leading candidate in the battle for this Red Bull spot.
Red Bull team adviser, Helmut Marko, admitted that Norris would “suit” Red Bull, saying he was “by far the strongest of the young drivers.”
The Brit has now poured fuel on the fire regarding these rumours, with recent comments to the press.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Norris said: “In the back of my mind, there’s that impatient game of, ‘do I stick it out for another few years, or is it time to look at something different?”
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However, the young Brit played a balancing act that will assure some of the senior staff at McLaren.
He went on to say: “The more we achieve things like we have done over the past few weeks, the more I’m very confident with the decision I made to stay until 2025.
“I am more confident that we can achieve our goals together in the future.”