Lando Norris ‘forgot to say’ one vital thing in McLaren contract talks this year

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Lando Norris signed a new contract with McLaren last winter, one that could keep him with the team until the end of 2028. It’s unclear if there are any exit clauses at play, but it was still a significant show of faith.

At the beginning of the season, it looked as if he may have signed too early. Sergio Perez was in a contract year at Red Bull, while there was an unexpected opening at Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton agreed to join Ferrari.

Norris finished sixth in the first race in Bahrain, and then eighth in Saudi Arabia a week later. While he scored a podium in Australia, he was reliant on a mechanical DNF for Max Verstappen.

But then an ‘astonishing’ upgrade in Miami transformed McLaren’s season. The 24-year-old finally won his first Grand Prix that weekend, and he’s competed for victory at virtually every race since.

There were runner-up finishes in Emilia Romagna, Canada, Spain and Hungary, as well as near-misses in Austria and Great Britain. He also took his second and third career poles in Barcelona and Budapest respectively.

Heading into the summer break, Norris is the nearest challenger to Verstappen, with the gap currently standing at 78 points. Had he converted a series of missed opportunities, he could have had a realistic shot at the title.

Peter Windsor says Lando Norris should have demanded number-one status at McLaren

Speaking on Cameron F1’s YouTube channel, Peter Windsor reflected on the mistake Norris made in those McLaren negotiations. He feels that the Briton should have demanded preferential treatment.

Andrea Stella has maintained parity in the garage, most notably in Hungary. Norris had to move over for Oscar Piastri in the closing stages of the race because McLaren felt he deserved the win.

Piastri had led virtually the entire Grand Prix, only for his teammate to leapfrog him through a defensive undercut. They tried to re-establish the pre-pit-stop running order, but Norris required plenty of convincing.

Windsor reckons that he had the leverage required to establish himself as the team leader. He could have threatened to join one of McLaren’s rivals if he didn’t get what he wanted.

“When Lando renewed, why didn’t he then say, ‘I want number one status’?” Windsor said. “If McLaren had said no, there are plenty of other drives he could have got – Ferrari, Mercedes as it turns out, Red Bull.

“He obviously did it because he feels completely at home at McLaren. He loves Zak, he loves the whole family there. But he forgot to say, ‘Oh by the way I want to be number one driver on the track’.”

Red Bull interest in Lando Norris is real

It’s unclear whether Mercedes would have seriously pursued Norris. He was effectively off the market by the time Hamilton left.

But theoretically, he would have been the top alternative to Max Verstappen. ‘Everyone’ in the F1 paddock regards Norris as one of the sport’s top five drivers.

New contract notwithstanding, Red Bull’s interest is real. If Verstappen were to leave, then he may be their desired team leader.

Team principal Christian Horner has publicly admitted his admiration for Norris. The key question is whether they would have been willing to axe Perez and partner him with his newest rival for 2025.