Stuck at McLaren, what exit doors for Lando Norris?

If Lando Norris puts on a good performance and tries to stay optimistic, at least in front of the media, he might still have desires to leave. Indeed, he is considered as one of the best young drivers on the grid along with Charles Leclerc and George Russell. However, he is still waiting for his first victory and if McLaren doesn’t have the car to allow him to go after it, then Norris could become impatient.

Karun Chandhok, former F1 driver and Sky Sports consultant, believes that the young British driver could therefore leave before the end of his contract with the British team, which binds him until 2025.

McLaren and Zak Brown are persisting in confining him for a period of four years. I think if they were smart, they would have created some kind of exit clause. For example, if McLaren doesn’t finish in the Top 4 of the constructor’s championship two years in a row, Lando could be free to explore other options.

Outside of the usual top three teams, Fernando and Lando are the two best drivers on the grid. The fact that he [Lando Norris] is fighting to get the car into Q3 must create some frustration for him, I can imagine.

Which team can he join?

Red Bull

Red Bull already has a well-established team, and even if Perez were to leave, it’s not certain that the Austrian team would be the best place for Lando Norris, since the team revolves around Max Verstappen. The British driver would then have to settle for a number 2 position. However, Norris has already had discussions with the reigning world champions before signing with McLaren, so nothing is impossible.

Mercedes

It’s the most probable hypothesis. Lewis Hamilton is out of contract this year, so if he were to leave, Mercedes will have to find a replacement for him and Lando Norris’ name is on the list of candidates.

Here we can’t say that the team is exclusively focused on George Russell so it would be a great opportunity. However, both British drivers are from the same generation and will thus compete for the number 1 title, a rivalry that can be intimidating. Lando Norris may not want to venture into his compatriot’s territory.

Ferrari

The two drivers from Scuderia are at the end of their contracts this season and their future remains uncertain. If Charles Leclerc were to leave, Frédéric Vasseur’s team could want to secure the services of Lando Norris. At least, that’s what Peter Windsor, former team manager of Ferrari and Williams in Formula 1, believes.

Let’s assume that Leclerc switches from Ferrari to Mercedes to replace Lewis, which is not a completely absurd hypothesis, what would Ferrari do then? I think they would do everything possible to get Lando.

A place at Ferrari is almost impossible to refuse and the young driver could be tempted by the idea of reuniting with his former teammate Carlos Sainz. On the other hand, if the Spaniard leaves, a Leclerc-Norris pair would be just as interesting.

Andretti and Porsche could arrive in F1 in the upcoming seasons as new teams. This would also be an option for Norris, although currently neither of the two teams is confirmed in F1.