Button fears "big hit" for Norris after signing "no get-outs" contract

Jenson Button has described McLaren's difficulties as a "big hit" to Lando Norris after the driver signed a long-term "no get-outs" deal earlier this year.

Norris put pen to paper in February on a contract that runs to the end of 2025 and with team principal Andreas Seidl declaring it had "no get-outs" on either side.

The team has steadily climbed the constructors' standings in recent years, notably finishing third in 2020 before dropping behind Ferrari to fourth last season.

Commenting on Norris' arrangement with McLaren, Button told Sky Sports F1: "For Lando, it was surprising that he signed such a long contract at the start of his career.

"We all want to be team players but you never know where the team is going to be in three years.

"And also, this is going to be a big hit. Five years to go and he is going to be like, 'Oh, okay'.

"But all he can do is go back to the team, tell them what the issues are and try and resolve them."

Button drove for McLaren from 2010 to 2016 before making a final substitute appearance in place of Fernando Alonso in 2017.

Backing the ability of the eight-time constructors' champions to recover lost ground, Button added: "This is a great team.

"They've won multiple championships, they have a lot of new people in place that are also very skilled.

"It's about that team building, that team staying together and developing the car as well as they can."

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