Lando Norris believes that Max Verstappen would be sorely missed by his fellow competitors and by Formula 1 as a whole if the four‑time world champion ever decided to retire, yet he is confident the Dutch driver will "stay longer than people say." Norris’ comments came during a McLaren media day where he and team‑mate 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 choose his own path: "Max has earned the right to go and do whatever he wants. He's won four world championships." He praised the Dutchman's outspoken nature, noting that Verstappen has always been candid, regardless of whether his opinions are popular or not. "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," Norris said. The McLaren 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," he added. Norris also highlighted the competitive value Verstappen brings to his rivals: "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." When the conversation turned to the upcoming 2026 technical regulations, Norris expressed mixed feelings. He noted that the new power units will run on a 50‑50 split between internal combustion and electric power, a change that some drivers find exciting while others view as a challenge. "I think it's relative for different people because when you see that the new guys who come in and this is their first year in Formula 1 everyone is like 'yeah these cars are sick!'" he said, before adding, "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." Nevertheless, Norris remains optimistic about Verstappen’s longevity. He recalled hearing the Red Bull ace say he wants to chase a fifth world title, which suggests the Dutchman is not planning to step away anytime soon.
"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," Norris concluded. Piastri echoed the sentiment, describing Verstappen’s potential departure as a major loss for the sport. "It would be a shame for the sport to lose Max, you know especially at this point in his career as well.
I think it would be a big loss for the sport as a whole," the Australian driver said. He emphasized that competing against the very best is essential for driver development: "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 discussion of Verstappen’s future intensified after news broke that his long‑time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren in 2028, once his Red Bull contract expires.
Lambiase has been a key figure in Verstappen’s success, and his impending move adds another layer of speculation about where the champion might end up if he leaves Red Bull. Verstappen’s current deal with Red Bull runs until the end of the 2028 season, but it contains performance‑related clauses that could allow an early exit if certain targets are not met. Should he decide to move on, Mercedes has long been regarded as the most likely destination, given ongoing talks between the two parties over the past two years. However, the possibility that McLaren could become a serious contender for Verstappen’s services now exists, especially after securing Lambiase.
When Sky Sports News asked McLaren CEO Zak Brown about the situation, he praised the 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 asked where he thought Verstappen might go if he ever left Red Bull.
"If I had to bet, I'd say to Mercedes," he replied. Regarding Lambiase’s potential early move, 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." As the 2024 season progresses, the focus will shift to the Miami Grand Prix, the second Sprint weekend of the year, scheduled for May 1‑3. The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and fans can stream the coverage via NOW without a contract, cancelling at any time. Whether Verstappen will continue to dominate the sport beyond 2028 remains uncertain, but the consensus among his peers, including Norris and Piastri, is clear: his talent, competitiveness, and personality make him an irreplaceable part of Formula 1, and he is likely to stay longer than many anticipate.