McLaren Confirm 3 F1 Teams Pursuing Lando Norris

At least 3 rival F1 teams have set their sights on McLaren’s rising star Lando Norris. However, the only catch was that the Formula 2 championship leader would have to cut his ties with the Woking camp.

Prior to the Canadian Grand Prix, Toro Rosso made an enquiry but only if Norris would become a free agent if he joined the Red Bull junior team.

However, McLaren boss Zak Brown is not going to give up the 2016 McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner that easily. Brown has been supporting Norris’s progress through the junior ranks in his career.

“We’ve been approached by more than one team,” Brown said.

“We’ve had three approaches, of varying degrees. Some included this year, but we want him to focus on F2, and keep him at McLaren.

“If we felt it was good for his career, and good for McLaren, then we’d consider it on a case by case basis.

“But all of the approaches meant he would have gone away, and we’re not interested in that conversation. That’s non-negotiable.

“We’re not going to train him up for someone else, but I don’t think anyone else has any interest in training him up for us.”

Norris is actually in danger of going down the same path that current McLaren F1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne went, two years ago.

GP2 champion, Vandoorne was unable to secure a McLaren seat because Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button were both still racing. As a result, he spent a year in Japan’s Super Formula series.

McLaren do not have the luxury of sister teams where young drivers can develop before moving to the main team.

“We don’t have any sister teams,” said Brown. “It’s not ideal.

“I think it shows that the FIA needs to look closely into how much influence teams have over other teams, because what they’re starting to do is to close down opportunities for people that are independent.”