McLaren address risk of Red Bull poaching Lando Norris

Sky Sports pundits have recently urged Red Bull to replace Sergio Perez with future star Lando Norris.

Lando Norris has been one of the shining lights in Formula 1 ever since McLaren recruited him as a rookie in 2019.

The Brit was the only driver outside of the top three times to score a podium last season and finished as the best of the rest driver in the championship, beating both Alpine drivers who had looked impressive all year.

Norris has been tipped as a future world champion by many and had tied himself down to a long-term contract with McLaren as he hopes to play a major role in their project to get back to title winning ways under the new regualtions.

Red Bull have been urged to sign the 23-year-old in recent weeks, with 32-year-old Sergio Perez failing to stand out with the constructors’ champions as he partners Max Verstappen.

READ: Max Verstappen accused of violating Red Bull contract in unusual incident

Norris has admitted that he previously held talks with Red Bull prior to renewing his contract with his current employers, but McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown and has explained why he is not worrying about the future of his young star.

“I’m convinced we’re going to give him a winning car,” said Brown.

“We have a long-term contract with him. I think he feels very comfortable within the team.

“Other than obviously the pressure we put on ourselves, because we don’t want to just give him a winning car, we want to give us a winning car. So, I think we’ve got a runway to get there.

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“He knows the journey we’re on. He has bought into the journey that we’re on, and I think it’d be early to be worried about it,” concluded the McLaren Racing CEO.

Norris has explained that he respects McLaren’s honesty with regards to their project, claiming that he does not want to be filled with false promises and positivity by his employers.

READ: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to receive major Ferrari power boost

A new state-of-the-art wind tunnel facility is set to become operational for the team next year, which should see the team make a huge step forward in their mission to become championship contenders once again.

Brown has admitted that it could take until 2024 for McLaren to catch up to the front runners such as Red Bull and Ferrari, meaning that if Norris chooses to keep his faith in the team, he may have to wait a few years until he can fight for race wins on a regular basis.

Should McLaren fail to deliver a competitive car for their star driver in the coming years, Norris will be no short of suitors in F1 with Red Bull already prioritising a move for the Brit.