Lando Norris believes that the departure of four‑time world champion Max Verstappen would be a significant loss for both his fellow drivers and the sport as a whole, yet he is confident that the Dutch star will "stay longer than people say." The uncertainty surrounding Verstappen’s future beyond the current season has been amplified by his outspoken criticism of the 2026 technical regulations and his dissatisfaction with the way the present‑generation cars have been required to be driven, a situation that will only change with the introduction of rule tweaks slated for next week’s Miami Grand Prix. During a McLaren media day on Wednesday, world champion Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri – both of whom were contenders for the title last year – were asked to weigh in on the Red Bull driver’s prospects. Norris began by acknowledging Verstappen’s right to choose his own path: "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 about what he thinks, whether you agree or not, and whether he should say it or not. 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 walk away: "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, as much as he makes our lives incredibly tough at times, he’s always fun to race against. It’s always cool to race against someone who’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 shared his thoughts on the upcoming 2026 cars, which will run on a hybrid power unit split evenly between internal‑combustion and electric energy. He noted that perceptions differ between newcomers and veterans: "I think it’s relative for different people because 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 concluded on an optimistic note, hinting that Verstappen’s ambition will keep him in the sport: "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 shame for the sport to lose Max, especially at this point in his career." The Australian added, "For us as drivers, we want to race against the best and try to prove ourselves against the best, and Max has shown his calibre over the last ten years.
In the last five or six years he’s been the benchmark, so it would be a pretty big shame and obviously not a great look for the sport." The conversation about Verstappen’s future intensified after it was revealed that his long‑time race engineer and confidant Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren in 2028 once his Red Bull contract expires. Verstappen’s own agreement with Red Bull runs through the end of the 2028 season, although it contains performance‑based clauses that could allow an early exit if certain targets are not met.
Should Verstappen decide to continue racing, many analysts view Mercedes as the most likely alternative team, given ongoing discussions between the two camps over the past two years. The recent appointment of Lambiase by McLaren also raises the question of whether the Woking outfit could become a serious contender for Verstappen’s services in the future. When Sky Sports News asked McLaren chief executive Zak Brown about the possibility, Brown replied, "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.
Where might he go? If I had to bet, I’d say to Mercedes." Regarding Lambiase’s move before 2028, Brown said, "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." The upcoming Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for May 1‑3, will be the second Sprint weekend of the season and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Fans can stream the race via Sky Sports NOW without a long‑term contract, and the F1 Show podcast offers additional analysis and commentary.
Overall, while Verstappen’s future remains a topic of speculation, the consensus among his peers is clear: his talent, personality, and competitive spirit make him an indispensable part of Formula 1, and most expect him to remain at the pinnacle of the sport for longer than many currently anticipate.