Breaking News: Norris And Leclerc Opt To Stay At Mclaren And Ferrari

The McLaren Formula 1 team has this afternoon revealed that its 24-year-old British rising star, Lando Norris, has agreed to commit his future to the Woking-based outfit by signing a new multi-year contract, which is due to last until at least the end of the 2026 season. His existing deal had started back in 2022 and was due to expire at the end of next year, very much making him a potential target for the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes, and Audi, with the latter being set to take over the Sauber entry with effect from 2026.

Today’s news followed a similar announcement from Ferrari yesterday, as the iconic team from Maranello, Italy, announced that its 26-year-old highly talented Monégasque driver, Charles Leclerc, had also agreed to a multi-year contract extension up to at least the end of the 2026 season.

Both of these revelations will not have gone unnoticed by the Red Bull team as it plans its future driver pairings. Its triple world champion Max Verstappen is secured by the Milton Keynes-based outfit on a long-term contract until 2028, but the position regarding its second driver is far less stable. Mexico’s Sergio Pérez ultimately just about did enough to retain his seat for the forthcoming season after a highly disappointing 2023, when he was consistently off the pace of his teammate. Red Bull’s senior management had already made it clear that Norris was a potential target to join Verstappen, but such a deal now seems off the table for the foreseeable future, as does any approach for the services of Leclerc. So, it will be fascinating to see what the future holds in terms of who might occupy the second car in the Red Bull team for the next few years.