McLaren 'reject Toro Rosso's Norris bid'

McLaren reportedly turned down an approach from Toro Rosso to take junior driver Lando Norris on loan for the remainder of the 2018 Formula 1 season. Norris has emerged as Toro Rosso's top target to replace Brendon Hartley, with team officials having grown impatient with the Kiwi.

Hartley's only point for Toro Rosso came at this year's Azerbaijan Grand Prix. By contrast team-mate Pierre Gasly has secured sixth and seventh-place finishes in Bahrain and Monaco to sit 11th in the drivers' standings.

New Zealander Hartley was a surprise hire at Toro Rosso in the back-end of 2017 as they scrambled for drivers in the wake of Carlos Sainz Jr joining Renault and their own lack of faith with Daniil Kvyat.

However, a change appears to be close once again, with Dr Helmut Marko having failed to offer Hartley any long-term assurances over his place.

According to the Press Association, Toro Rosso wanted Norris to take the wheel at the Austrian Grand Prix and complete the season with them, although McLaren have rebuffed their approach.

Toro Rosso made move to sign Lando Norris on loan for rest of season. Understand they wanted Norris from next month’s Austrian GP. McLaren declined proposal.
McLaren: ‘We’re not surprised that other teams approach our drivers. They clearly believe they’re as talented as we do.’ — Phil Duncan (@PhilDuncanF1) June 6, 2018

Norris won last year's F3 European Championship and is top of the Formula 2 standings after four races in 2018.

He won from pole on his debut outing at the Bahrain feature race. Points finishes in every race since then, including three podiums, has him 27 points clear of Renault junior Artem Markelov with eight events to go in 2018.

Norris has been heavily linked with a 2019 race seat at McLaren, with Fernando Alonso's future uncertain and Stoffel Vandoorne failing to live up to his reputation earned while winning GP2 in 2015.