Norris Commits Long-Term Future to McLaren Until 2030

POLICY WIRE — London, UK — Formula One world champion Lando Norris has signed a contract extension with McLaren, securing his place with the team until at least 2030. The 26-year-old British driver, who recently won races in Hungary and the Netherlands, shared the news during a friends and family event at McLaren’s Woking factory.

McLaren announced that the contract includes options for further extensions beyond 2030. As a token of appreciation, Norris received an MCL39 car from the previous season, marking his status as the team’s first drivers’ champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

Norris emphasized that the deal boosts team morale and motivation, though he clarified that the financial details reported in the media are inaccurate. He expressed his contentment with McLaren, stating there is no reason to consider other teams.

At the moment, there is no reason to even think about going elsewhere, Norris said. I want my entire career to be with McLaren because I’m happy here and do not want to change. I want to fight with McLaren during tough times and win with them when things are going well. I’ll be very happy at the end of my career to say that McLaren was the only team I’ve been with.

Norris, who made his McLaren F1 debut in 2019 after joining as a test and simulator driver in 2017, has won 13 grands prix and secured 18 pole positions with the team.

Team principal Andrea Stella highlighted the importance of continuity, stating, This extension provides us with crucial continuity and strengthens our confidence in the path we are taking together. With Lando and Oscar (Piastri), we have one of the strongest and most united teams in Formula One.

Although some media reports suggest Norris’s new contract places him third in Formula One’s pay rankings, behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, Norris himself downplayed these figures. He acknowledged that while his salary has increased, it is not close to the levels of Verstappen and Hamilton, given his current achievements.

“I feel like I should earn as much as that,” Norris said with a grin, referring to the salaries of Verstappen and Hamilton. But it is certainly not close to the figures I’ve seen online. Of course, it is a bit more, as it is with any job extension, but it is not near the level of Lewis or Max, which it should not be because I have not achieved as much as they have in their careers.

Norris mentioned that while there was interest from other teams, he felt a strong loyalty to McLaren and considered it a betrayal to leave. It was the easiest decision I’ve had to make in my career so far, he concluded.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)