Max Verstappen sent offer to quit Red Bull and join F1 rival keen to be his team-mate
The boss of McLaren has battered off suggestions that Lando Norris could be set to leave the Woking-based team after the F1 driver admitted that he would love to be teammates with Max Verstappen. Norris notched his third podium appearance of the season after finishing second at last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix. It was the British driver’s third runners-up placing in 2023.
But he sent chins wagging in Italy recently when he was asked outright if he would want to partner with defending world champion Verstappen in the future. And the 23-year-old did little to play down his future ambitions by clearly admitting that he would like to work alongside the Dutchman.
Speaking to reporters in Monza, he said: “It’s definitely something I would be open to in the future. I think I can happily say that Max is probably one of the best drivers ever in the history of Formula 1.
“I think it’d be great to work alongside someone like that and, at the same time, see where I can really stand against him. I’d be open for it. I mean, I invited him to McLaren the other day so if he wants to come any time he’s very welcome.”
Norris is currently eighth in the Drivers’ Championship on 97 points, with 10 top 10 finishes to his name, including in the last seven races.
But when his interesting comments were put to Zak Brown in a press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix, the McLaren CEO brushed aside suggestions that the British team could be on course to lose their star driver, pointing out that anyone would want to work alongside Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso.
Brown told press conference host Tom Clarkson: “I think he was just responding to a question he was asked – I think everyone else is stirring it.
“I think they’re good buddies. I think if you ask any racing driver if they want to race another competitor, I think you’ll always get an answer of ‘oh, I’d love to be Lewis’ team-mate, or Max’s team-mate or Fernando’s team-mate’.
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“So, I think everyone has picked up a question he has answered and stirred it a little bit and that’s Formula 1. But that’s alright. He’s in a good place.”
Verstappen is currently under contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season, but when reporters turned the question on its head and asked Brown about the possibility of Verstappen joining McLaren, the team boss appeared as open to the idea as Norris had been.
Brown said: “It’s the first time I’ve been asked that question! I think any time you have a driver of that calibre, if there’s an open seat, of course, but we’re very happy with our two racing drivers.”
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