Lando Norris believes that the departure of four‑time world champion Max Verstappen would be a significant loss for his fellow competitors and for Formula 1 as a whole, yet he is confident the Dutch driver will "stay longer than people say." Norris' comments come amid ongoing speculation about Verstappen's future beyond the current season, especially after the champion voiced criticism of the 2026 regulatory package and expressed dissatisfaction with the way the current cars have been driven ahead of the upcoming technical tweaks that are set to debut at next week’s Miami Grand Prix. During a McLaren media day on Wednesday, both Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri – who challenged Verstappen for the title last year – were asked to weigh in on the Red Bull star's prospects.
Norris began by acknowledging Verstappen's right to make his own choices: "Max has earned the right to go and do whatever he wants. He's won four world championships. He's always been that guy, not just now.
He's always been very open to say what he thinks, whether you agree or not or whether you should say it or shouldn't. He's himself and I think that's a very good way to live your life." He went on to stress how much the sport would miss him if he ever decided to quit: "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.
And I think it would be a shame for us because I think as much as he makes our lives incredibly tough at times, 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 so yeah it would be a loss for the sport." Norris also touched on the upcoming 2026 car specifications, which will feature a 50‑50 split between internal‑combustion power and electric energy.
He noted that reactions to the new machinery are often relative: "When you see the new guys who come in and this is their first year in Formula 1 everyone is like 'yeah these cars are sick!' For the guys who have driven last year's cars and for some of the previous ones, of course, we have something to compare against and it's all kind of relative for everyone." He added a hopeful note about Verstappen's ambition: "But hopefully things get better and I was just told he said he wants to win a fifth world championship at the minute, so I'm sure he'll stay longer than people say." Piastri echoed a similar sentiment, describing the potential loss as "a big shame for the sport as a whole" and emphasizing how drivers thrive when they can test themselves against the very best. "For us as drivers, we want to race against the best and try and prove ourselves against the best and I think Max has shown his calibre in the last 10 years. I think especially the last five or six he's been the benchmark so, for everyone it would be a pretty big shame and obviously not a great look," the Australian explained. The conversation about Verstappen's future intensified a fortnight earlier when it was revealed that his long‑time race engineer and confidant Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren in 2028 after his Red Bull contract expires.
Verstappen himself is contracted with Red Bull through the end of the 2028 season, although the agreement contains performance‑related clauses that could allow an early exit if certain targets are not met. Should Verstappen decide to move on, Mercedes has long been tipped as the most likely destination, with rumours of discussions between the two camps surfacing over the past two years.
The recent appointment of Lambiase by McLaren, however, has raised questions about whether the Woking outfit could become a serious contender for the Dutchman's services. When Sky Sports News asked McLaren chief executive Zak Brown about the situation, he responded positively about his current driver lineup: "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, so we have no intention of replacing any of our two superstars.
Obviously if one were to go away, yeah, Max is a huge talent but I'm not anticipating that." Brown was also asked where Verstappen might head if he left Red Bull. "If I had to bet, I'd say to Mercedes," he said, acknowledging the historic rivalry between the two manufacturers.
Regarding Lambiase's move before 2028, Brown added, "There's always a chance, but he has a contract and we're going to respect that. Obviously in conversations with Red Bull, they obviously need to I presume have a solution and then once and if that's in place, open to have a dialogue. But we're prepared to wait to '28 and that's what we'll do if that's what ends up happening." Beyond the driver‑engineer shuffle, the broader F1 calendar is set to continue with the Miami Grand Prix on May 1‑3, marking the season's second Sprint weekend. Fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports F1 or stream via NOW, with the flexibility to cancel at any time.
In summary, while uncertainty surrounds Max Verstappen's long‑term plans, both Norris and Piastri agree that his presence is vital to the sport's competitive fabric. Their comments suggest that, regardless of contractual nuances or potential team changes, Verstappen is likely to remain a central figure in Formula 1 for the foreseeable future, driven by his personal ambition to chase a fifth championship and the respect he commands across the paddock.