F1 star admits factoring Lewis Hamilton rivalry into contract choice

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Social — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 star admits factoring Hamilton rivalry into contract choice

McLaren's Lando Norris believes he could challenge Max Verstappen for the world championship

Yara Elshebiny

Tuesday 16 April 2024 19:00

Lando Norris has discussed his belief in McLaren and how past driver rivalries impacted his decision.

The 2023 season saw Norris finish on the podium seven times, wrapping up the season in sixth place with 205 points. However, the coveted race win has remained elusive for the talented Brit, who currently holds the unwanted record for most podium finishes without a victory.

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Despite that, Norris' faith in McLaren's future is huge, leading him to extend his contract with the team well beyond 2025.

The team's impressive strides throughout last season, particularly the crucial upgrades that transformed their performance, played a pivotal role in his decision to commit his future to the Woking outfit and instilled a genuine belief that the gap to the front runners could be closed.

Lando Norris extended his contract with McLaren beyond 2025

Norris finished the 2023 season in sixth place with 205 points

Norris: 'I'm not afraid of Max

Lando Norris didn't shy away from addressing the elephant in the room when discussing his championship aspirations.

"I believe I can achieve a championship at McLaren, that’s why I signed another contract," he said.

"I absolutely think I can go up against Max and give him a good challenge. But I also rate Max, so for anyone it’s extremely difficult to go up against Max in his team and challenge him for a world championship.

"He could have moved to Mercedes back in the day and gone up against Lewis [Hamilton] but would it have been a smart idea to have done that? Probably not and he probably wouldn’t be in a Red Bull now and it would be a different story.

"I am not afraid in any way of Max, I’m excited to be against Max. People rate him as up with the best, so I would like to prove myself by going up against that.

"I look forward to being able to battle him, but genuinely for position and not have him half a second a lap quicker and just drive past me."

Mercedes McLaren Lando Norris