F1 history shows that Lando Norris COULD join Max Verstappen at Red Bull

Verstappen en Norris na kwalificatie op Catalunya — Photo: © LAT Images

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F1 history shows that Norris COULD join Verstappen at Red Bull

Helmut Marko was spotted talking to the McLaren driver's agent this weekend

Jim Kimberley

Wednesday 12 July 2023 20:12

With Lando Norris enjoying his time in the spotlight after a near-perfect British Grand Prix coinciding with Sergio Perez's continued dismal form, it's no surprise that photographs of Helmut Marko meeting Mark Berryman, Norris' agent, set the rumour mill ablaze.

The details of the pair's discussions are unknown and may have revolved around any number of drivers in Berryman's stable, including Red Bull Junior Zane Maloney, but the timing is curious.

In case you missed the minor news from Formula 1 this week, Daniel Ricciardo is returning to action in Hungary to replace the dropped Nyck de Vries, showing Marko's appetite for replacing underperforming employees.

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Whether that would stretch to Sergio Perez is unclear, but there's no denying that the Mexican is in the worst form of his Red Bull career just when Christian Horner and Helmut Marko reminded the world that patience isn't one of their strengths.

Helmut's History

Clearing an underperforming driver out of Red Bull and replacing them with a hot prospect became the modus operandi at the Milton Keynes team since they brought Max Verstappen on board in 2016.

The Dutchman replaced Daniil Kvyat after just four rounds of the season. Red Bull's dubious explanation that they were merely trying to separate the scrapping Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen in Toro Rosso was about as believable as Ricciardo telling us McLaren wouldn't end his contract.

Later, Marko traded Sainz, Kvyat and rookie pair Pierre Gasly and Brendan Hartley in and out of Toro Rosso like it was a Fantasy F1 team in the latter portion of 2017, seemingly in preparation for how he'd treat Red Bull's second seat in the post-Ricciardo era.

It was Ricciardo out and Gasly in before Gasly got discarded and the then-rookie Alex Albon was promoted, before Helmut finally shoved Albon out and hired Perez after looking the subs bench at AlphaTauri and seeing the two rejects of Gasly and Kvyat staring back.

That is all a long way of saying that Helmut Marko is all for trying new drivers in his playset, so why not Lando Norris next?

Could it happen?

On paper, Norris and Perez are contracted to remain in place until 2025 and 2024, respectively.

In reality, Perez showed how much value a contract has in Formula 1 when Lawrence Stroll brought in Sebastian Vettel to partner Lance Stroll at Aston Martin for 2020.

Equally, McLaren brought in Oscar Piastri, an Alpine-contracted driver for 2023, while they still had a contract with Ricciardo that stipulated they should retain the older Aussie for one more year.

In short, if there's a will, there's a way in Formula 1, and they usually come with several million reasons for a team to get what they want.

McLaren's recent explorations into other categories like Formula E and selling up their headquarters two years ago suggests that cash could be king. Red Bull, meanwhile, have so much cash that they didn't even stay within the cost cap in 2021...

A Perez-Norris swap isn't the most outlandish possibility should Zak Brown's team receive some extra liquidity from the deal.

Lando the Bull

I'm not sure if the Norris that first joined McLaren would fit in with the high-pressure environment of Red Bull, but that's not the driver in Formula 1 today.

The Brit has discarded the image of a young boy unaware of how fast and marketable he is and is embracing life in the fast lane.

Sainz initially assisted in gaining that confidence, but it's self-sustaining now and would suit Red Bull, who value a driver who knows what they want.

The failures since Ricciardo's Milton Keynes departure were drivers thrown in the deep end before they were ready, and Albon and Gasly have since shown their worth once they familiarised themselves with paddock life.

Norris wouldn't have that problem, having become the type of self-assured driver Horner and Marko want, but could that be a downfall?

The team gravitating towards Verstappen is what sent Ricciardo packing his bags in search of pastures new.

Bringing in the incredibly popular Norris at this stage of his career could see a rift in the garage as mechanics and engineers gravitate towards one of two top-tier talents.

Volatility with Verstappen

Norris and Verstappen get on well, with the two long enjoying the sim-racing world and an off-track friendship, but Norris coming into the lion's den could make for an incendiary lineup.

After the Norris-Sainz bromance at McLaren, fans anticipated that the Norris-Ricciardo partnership would provide an equal feel-good factor, but that wasn't the reality.

For all of Lando's quiet attitude and shyness in the public eye, he's still a fiercely competitive athlete. That side of him came out with the older Australian teammate barging into the McLaren he considered home.

Norris wasn't concerned about Ricciardo's struggles adapting to the papaya car, showing that Formula 1 is very much a sport of individuals, despite the team dynamic at play.

I'd expect a larger version of that to happen at Red Bull between Norris and Verstappen should a move happen, with so much more on the line than Ricciardo and Norris faced.

Unlike Perez, Norris wouldn't join as a grateful journeyman driver recognising his last chance saloon; he'd see it as his opportunity to become a world champion with Verstappen as the driver standing in his way.

Look back at how long Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton remained friends in 2014 for an example of how two close drivers can see a relationship turn sour with a title on the line.

Could Marko's conversation be innocuous? Maybe. But it's called silly season for a reason, and Norris to Red Bull won't be the most absurd rumour you'll hear this summer.