McLaren made a clause that scuppered Red Bull’s plans for Lando Norris. Lando Norris has become a Formula One star, but his career could have taken a very different path had Red Bull’s plans to sign him been successful. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko reveals details of the near-transfer that was thwarted by a contract clause.
A name synonymous with future Formula One greatness, Lando Norris has been one of the sport’s most promising talents for years. A key figure for McLaren, the 24-year-old Briton is one of the few drivers often mentioned in the same breath as two-time world champion Max Verstappen.
As Norris looks to challenge Verstappen for the title this season, his journey to the top has been closely watched, with many wondering what might have been had he signed for Red Bull instead of McLaren.
The McLaren driver, who joined the team’s junior programme in 2017, will make his Formula One debut with the historic British outfit in 2019. But what few knew was that Red Bull had been aggressively pursuing the talented young driver even before his debut.
Red Bull had identified him as a future star and a plan was in place to bring him into their ranks through their junior programme.
Red Bull’s ambitious plans for Norris
In a recent revelation, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has told the story behind their pursuit of Norris, giving an insight into how close the Milton Keynes-based team came to signing him. Speaking on the Inside Line F1 podcast, Marko explained: “We had serious discussions and a contract was ready for Lando Norris.
The Austrian’s words underline just how far Red Bull’s negotiations with Norris had progressed. The aim was to bring Norris into the fold via Red Bull’s junior team, Toro Rosso – now known as AlphaTauri and recently rebranded as Racing Bulls.
Toro Rosso has historically served as a testing ground for future Red Bull drivers, with Verstappen himself having followed a similar path. Marko’s plan was for Norris to develop at Toro Rosso before graduating to the main Red Bull team.
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McLaren’s intervention: The clause that blocked the move
Despite Red Bull’s aggressive pursuit and what appeared to be a contract in place for Norris, the transfer failed to materialise. McLaren, already invested in their rising star, quickly caught wind of Red Bull’s interest and moved to block the move.
Marko explained that McLaren invoked a contract clause that ultimately thwarted Red Bull’s plans.
“Unfortunately, McLaren found out,” said Marko, adding that the clause McLaren invoked prevented Norris from joining their rivals. It was a strategic move by McLaren to ensure that one of the most promising young talents in Formula One remained within their ranks.
The clause, which appears to have been part of McLaren’s long-term vision for Norris, proved crucial in keeping him out of Red Bull’s grasp. It also cemented McLaren’s commitment to making Norris their star of the future.
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Formula One: Norris targets Verstappen in championship battle
Since making his Formula One debut, Lando Norris has steadily risen to become a force to be reckoned with on the grid. As of the beginning of September 2024, the Briton has competed in 120 Grands Prix and his progress as a driver has been remarkable.
This season has been particularly remarkable for Norris, who secured his first career victory at the Miami Grand Prix in May. He did not stop there and followed that up with a significant victory at Zandvoort in August – Verstappen’s home race, no less.
With these triumphs under his belt, Norris has firmly established himself as a title contender. He currently sits second in the Drivers’ Championship, just 62 points behind Verstappen with eight races remaining. While the gap is considerable, Norris and McLaren have shown they have the pace to challenge Verstappen’s Red Bull.
Furthermore, Red Bull are going through a difficult period and their once dominant position is beginning to waver. This has opened up the possibility of an exciting title race at the end of the season.
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The road ahead: McLaren and Norris look for more success
With McLaren finding renewed strength in their car’s performance and Norris gaining confidence after two wins this season, the British team are gearing up for a potential championship upset. Red Bull’s recent struggles have added intrigue to the final races, with the championship still very much within Norris’ grasp. Should McLaren continue their upward trajectory, the title battle could go down to the wire.
As the F1 paddock reflects on what might have been had Norris joined Red Bull, there is little doubt that the driver has found his home at McLaren. The decision to stay, enforced by McLaren’s intervention, has paid off for both parties. Norris is now one of the leading figures in the sport and has the opportunity to dethrone Verstappen.
Lando Norris’ career could have taken a very different path had McLaren not taken swift action to prevent a move to Red Bull. With a potential world title on the horizon, Norris’ journey with McLaren seems destined for greatness – but F1 fans can only imagine what might have been had that contract clause not stood in Red Bull’s way.
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MORE F1 NEWS: Norris Piastri bust up
Reports indicate a brewing dispute has occured in McLaren after Piastri ignores Norris’ title chances – As the F1 season heats up, speculation about the dynamics at McLaren is heating up. Former F1 driver and commentator Martin Brundle has weighed in on the potential tensions brewing between McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, questioning how much support Piastri will offer Norris in his quest for a world title against the dominant Max Verstappen.
The key question for the 2023 Formula One season is whether Lando Norris, with his impressive consistency, can challenge Max Verstappen’s almost unassailable dominance of the World Championship. More intriguingly, how much…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Piastri soon will outshine Lando. It’s just around the corner and Lando will wish he kept it quiet of his interest to go to Red Bull. Both drivers are good but I would say Piastri for the amount of time he has been in a Mclaren he looks like being the future World Number 1 probably before Lando Norris. Just my view and may both drivers do well as F1 was getting boring when Max always winning but now he needs to look over his shoulder as The McLaren’s are coming.