Red Bull and Alpine named as options for Norris: "But he doesn't see himself as second driver"

Analyst Peter Windsor believes that McLaren driver Lando Norris will start exploring his options more and more. The 23-year-old British driver signed a new long-term contract with McLaren in 2022, but this year, McLaren itself has already shown that contracts are not everything in Formula 1. Just look at the absence of Daniel Ricciardo - who also had a valid contract.

Norris is committed to McLaren until 2025 and therefore, in principle, cannot move elsewhere for the time being. However, this year, the young talent has had to watch his employer have a weak start to the races for the second consecutive year. McLaren experienced a dramatic start to the season last year, but they managed to recover and ultimately secured fifth place in the standings. This year, Aston Martin has made a leap into the leading pack, and McLaren mainly owes its current sixth place to a good performance in the chaotic Australian Grand Prix.

At the moment, the gap to the front seems larger than the difference with the chasing pack, and there are few reasons for optimism. Peter Windsor analyzes Norris' options on his YouTube channel. One long-term option could be Red Bull Racing, where he could become the teammate of his good friend Max Verstappen. Sergio Pérez would already be 36 in 2026, and it's uncertain if the Mexican will remain with the Austrian team for that long. "I'm sure Lando (Norris, ed.) doesn't see himself as a second driver, but I'm sure he would love to drive for Red Bull now," Windsor says.

However, whether it would be the best chance for a world title is questionable. "For now, he probably doesn't think beyond that and only imagines how great it would be to have such a top car and enjoy it at Red Bull. The question then is whether he would be able to beat Verstappen or if he would purely be a good number two." Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have both stated after the recent race that they don't believe there is currently any driver who could beat Verstappen in the Red Bull.

Alpine also an option

Norris could also choose a different route, similar to his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian left Red Bull after 2018 and preferred to take on a leadership role in a less competitive team: Renault, now known as Alpine. That could be a logical option for Norris as well. "I think there is a chance he will drive there. They still have some time to go before they can compete at the top, but Alpine is doing well. They seem to have the right momentum. Alpine certainly looks good now," suggests Windsor.