Lando Norris believes that the departure of four‑time world champion Max Verstappen would be felt deeply by his fellow competitors and by Formula 1 as a whole, yet he is confident the Dutch driver will "stay longer than people say." Norris’ comments came during a McLaren media session where he and teammate Oscar Piastri, both of whom challenged Verstappen for the 2023 title, were asked to weigh in on the Red Bull star’s future. Norris opened 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 praised Verstappen’s candour, noting that the champion has always spoken his mind, regardless of whether others agree or think he should stay silent. "He’s himself, and I think that’s a very good way to live your life," Norris added. The British driver warned that losing Verstappen would be a significant 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," he said.
Norris also admitted that, despite the frustration Verstappen causes his rivals on the track, racing against a four‑time champion is a privilege. "He makes our lives incredibly tough at times, but he’s always good fun to race against and 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 concluded. When pressed about the upcoming 2026 regulations, which will introduce a hybrid power unit split 50‑50 between internal‑combustion and electric power, Norris expressed a nuanced view. He noted that newcomers often describe the new cars as "sick," while veterans who have driven the previous generation have a different perspective because they have a benchmark to compare against. "It’s relative for different people," he explained.
"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." Despite the technical uncertainties, Norris believes Verstappen’s competitive fire will keep him in the sport. He recalled hearing Verstappen say he wants to chase a fifth world title, which suggests the Dutchman isn’t planning an early retirement. "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," Norris asserted.
Oscar Piastri echoed Norris’s sentiments. The Australian driver called the potential loss of Verstappen "a shame for the sport," especially given the timing in Verstappen’s career.
"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," Piastri said. The conversation about Verstappen’s future intensified after news broke 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, but it reportedly contains performance‑related clauses that could allow an early exit if certain targets aren’t met.
Speculation about where Verstappen might go if he leaves Red Bull has long centred on Mercedes, a team that has reportedly been in talks with both parties over the past two years. The recent appointment of Lambiase to McLaren has raised the question of whether the Woking outfit could become a more attractive destination for the Dutch champion. McLaren chief executive Zak Brown addressed the issue, praising the current driver lineup and dismissing any immediate plans to replace either Norris or Piastri.
"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," Brown said. He added, "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, Brown clarified that McLaren respects his existing contract with Red Bull and will wait until 2028 before pursuing him further. "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 McLaren boss explained. As the sport looks ahead to the Miami Grand Prix, the second Sprint weekend of the season, the debate over Verstappen’s longevity continues to capture fans’ imagination.
Whether he stays with Red Bull, moves to Mercedes, or perhaps even considers a future with McLaren, Norris and Piastri’s comments underscore the respect he commands across the paddock and the potential impact his departure would have on Formula 1’s competitive landscape.