Lando Norris believes that the departure of four‑time champion Max Verstappen would be a major loss for his fellow drivers and for Formula 1 as a whole, yet he is confident the Dutch star will "stay longer than people say." Norris’ comments came during a McLaren media day where he and teammate Oscar Piastri, both of whom challenged Verstappen for the 2023 title, were asked to weigh in on the Red Bull driver’s future. Norris began by acknowledging Verstappen’s right to make his own decisions: "Max has earned the right to go and do whatever he wants. He's won four world championships." He highlighted the Dutchman's habit of speaking his mind, regardless of whether his opinions are popular or controversial.
"He's always been that guy – open, honest and unapologetic. He lives his life on his own terms, and I think that's a great way to live," Norris said. The British driver warned that losing Verstappen would be a blow to the sport.
"It would be a shame for the sport, it will be a miss for the sport, if that does happen because he probably is one of the best drivers you'll see in Formula 1 ever," Norris asserted. He added that while Verstappen makes life difficult for his rivals, he also makes racing more exciting.
"He's always good fun to race against and it's always cool to race against someone that's won four championships. You always feel like you want to race against the best in the world and he certainly is one of them," Norris explained, emphasizing that Verstappen's presence raises the bar for everyone on the grid. When the conversation turned to the upcoming 2026 regulations, Norris expressed mixed feelings. He noted that the new power units, which will split output 50‑50 between internal‑combustion and electric power, have generated varied reactions among drivers.
"For the newcomers, the cars are amazing. For those of us who have driven the previous spec, it feels different because we have a benchmark to compare against," he said. Despite the uncertainty, Norris remains optimistic about Verstappen’s longevity.
"I was just told he wants to win a fifth world championship at the minute, so I'm sure he'll stay longer than people say," he added. Piastri echoed similar sentiments.
"It would be a shame for the sport to lose Max, especially at this point in his career. It's a big loss for the sport as a whole," the Australian driver said. He stressed that drivers thrive on competing against the best, and Verstappen has set the benchmark over the past decade, particularly in the last five or six years. "For us as drivers, we want to race against the best and prove ourselves against the best, and Max has shown his calibre," Piastri noted.
The discussion of Verstappen’s future intensified after news broke that his long‑time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, will join McLaren in 2028 when his Red Bull contract expires. Verstappen’s own deal with Red Bull runs until the end of the 2028 season, but it contains performance‑based clauses that could allow an early exit if certain targets are not met.
Speculation about where Verstappen might go if he leaves Red Bull has centered on Mercedes, a team that has reportedly been in talks with both parties for the past two years. The possibility that McLaren could become a contender now that they have secured Lambiase was also raised. In response, McLaren CEO Zak Brown said, "From McLaren's point of view, I couldn't be happier with Lando and Oscar.
We have long‑term agreements with them, and I think it's the greatest driver pairing on and off the track. We have no intention of replacing any of our two superstars." Brown added that if a vacancy did arise, Mercedes would likely be the destination for Verstappen. "If I had to bet, I'd say to Mercedes," he said. Regarding Lambiase’s move, Brown emphasized respect for existing contracts: "There's always a chance, but he has a contract and we're going to respect that.
Obviously in conversations with Red Bull, they need to have a solution, and once that's in place we could open a dialogue. But we're prepared to wait until 2028 and that's what we'll do if that's what ends up happening." As the sport looks ahead to the Miami Grand Prix, the second sprint weekend of the season, the conversation around Verstappen’s tenure continues to dominate headlines. While the 2026 technical changes and contract negotiations add layers of uncertainty, Norris’s confidence that the four‑time champion will remain in the paddock longer than many expect reflects the high regard in which his peers hold him. Whether he chooses to stay with Red Bull, move to Mercedes, or perhaps even explore a new challenge with McLaren in the future, Verstappen’s impact on Formula 1 is undeniable, and his continued presence promises to keep the competition fierce and the spectacle thrilling for fans worldwide.