Lando Norris came remarkably close to joining Red Bull Racing, according to new revelations from the team’s longtime former advisor Helmut Marko. The British driver’s near-move to Red Bull surfaced in the wake of his dramatic victory in last season’s Drivers’ Championship, where he delivered McLaren’s first title since 2008 by narrowly defeating Max Verstappen by just two points at the Yas Marina Circuit. The story of the nearly-completed Lando Norris Red Bull negotiations has become one of the most enticing ‘what-ifs’ in recent Formula 1 history.
How Talks Between Norris and Red Bull Unfolded
Helmut Marko, reflecting on his influential tenure with Red Bull, revealed that discussions with Lando Norris had taken place several years earlier and almost led to Norris joining the Red Bull fold. Marko recounted the high level of interest, detailing that Norris could have joined Toro Rosso—now known as Racing Bulls—back in 2016, a move that might have reshaped the F1 landscape. At that time, Norris was involved in McLaren’s junior program, having signed on in 2017, but a decisive shift from McLaren to Red Bull was under real consideration.
A first round of negotiations failed to produce a switch, but Red Bull’s interest didn’t wane. By 2022, with both teams at crossroads, another opportunity arose. Nevertheless, Norris opted to sign a multi-year commitment to McLaren over joining the high-profile Red Bull squad. This ultimate decision proved fateful, allowing Norris to stay loyal to his team while charting his own path toward championship success.
Direct Insights from Red Bull and Norris
Helmut Marko offered rare transparency about the negotiations:
“We had, at a very early stage, a negotiation with Lando Norris, and in the end, we didn’t get him.”
– Helmut Marko, former Red Bull advisor. Marko elaborated on his admiration for Norris, but acknowledged the fierce competition for seats:
“Yes, I think he would have fitted very well to us. But on the other hand, we can’t have everybody. We are looking for champions.”
– Helmut Marko, former Red Bull advisor.
Norris himself commented on the situation, clarifying the nature of his contract talks:
“It’s more just I was coming to the end of my contract, and it wasn’t like we [Red Bull and I] were talking heavily.”
– Lando Norris, F1 Driver. He further shared his perspective on loyalty and his personal approach to negotiations:
“Before I’ve ever spoken to anyone else, my talks have always been with McLaren first, that’s always how it goes. As much as sometimes you might like what could happen, the best thing for me is signing the contract that I have now.”
– Lando Norris, F1 Driver.
The Impact of McLaren’s Development Challenges
The turbulent start of the 2022 season presented major hardships for McLaren and Norris, as the ground effects era exposed weaknesses in their car’s performance. With the MCL36 struggling near the back of the field, team CEO Zak Brown openly admitted the squad had not met its technical goals. Still, Norris chose to double down on his bet with McLaren, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity and proving that loyalty to his team could bring results.
A Championship Win Validates Norris’s Decision
Lando Norris’s steadfast commitment to McLaren has now yielded historic results. By clinching the Drivers’ Championship in a dramatic campaign, Norris showed that staying the course with McLaren was the right move. This success underscores how career-shaping decisions in Formula 1 are seldom straightforward, especially when offers from giants like Red Bull are on the table.
Throughout the saga, figures such as Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko remained central to Red Bull’s narrative, but it was Norris’s individual choices that truly steered the outcome. The intrigue of Lando Norris Red Bull negotiations will likely continue to captivate fans and analysts, who can’t help but speculate how differently the latest season might have unfolded had Norris traded papaya orange for Red Bull’s colors.
Anticipation Builds for Norris’s Future
With another season on the horizon, Formula 1 is abuzz with speculation. Will Lando Norris continue his ascent with McLaren, defending his hard-earned championship and etching his status among motorsport’s elite? Or will the allure of Red Bull’s high-performance operation circle back, reigniting another round of negotiations? Though the drama surrounding Norris’s career reached fever pitch this season, the story is unmistakably still evolving. The world of F1, including prominent names like Zak Brown and Max Verstappen, looks on, eager for the next twist in Norris’s racing journey.
