Lando Norris believes that the departure of four‑time champion Max Verstappen would be a significant loss for his fellow competitors and for Formula 1 as a whole, yet he is confident that the Dutch driver 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 star’s future. Norris began by acknowledging Verstappen’s right to decide his own path: "Max has earned the right to go and do whatever he wants. He’s won four world championships." He noted that Verstappen has always been outspoken, regardless of whether people agree with him or not, and praised the driver for staying true to himself.
"He’s always been very open about what he thinks, whether you agree or not, and I think that’s a great 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," Norris explained. He added that, despite the frustration Verstappen can cause for his rivals, racing against a multiple‑champion is always a thrill.
"He makes our lives incredibly tough at times, but he’s always good fun to race against and it’s cool to line up against someone who has won four championships. You always want to race against the best in the world, and he certainly is one of them, so yes, it would be a loss for the sport," Norris concluded. When the conversation shifted to the upcoming 2026 regulations, Norris expressed a mixed view.
The new rule package will see cars powered by a 50‑50 split between internal‑combustion engines and electric motors, a change that has sparked debate among drivers. Norris said the perception of the new cars is relative: "When you see the newcomers in their first year, everyone says ‘these cars are sick!’ For those of us who have driven last year’s machinery, we have a benchmark to compare against, so it’s all kind of relative for everyone." He remained optimistic about the future, noting that Verstappen has already hinted at a desire to chase a fifth title. "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 added.
Piastri echoed Norris’s sentiment. The Australian driver said, "It would be a shame for the sport to lose Max, especially at this point in his career. It would be a big loss for the sport as a whole. For us as drivers, we want to race against the best and 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 Formula 1." The discussion of Verstappen’s future intensified after it was revealed that his long‑time race engineer and confidant Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren in 2028 when his Red Bull contract expires. Verstappen’s own deal 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 Verstappen decide to leave Red Bull, Mercedes has long been viewed as the most likely destination. Negotiations between the two parties have been reported over the past two years, and many analysts see the German team as the natural next step for a driver of his stature.
McLaren’s chief executive Zak Brown was asked whether Lambiase’s move could make his team a more attractive option for Verstappen. 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 they’re 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, yes, Max is a huge talent but I’m not anticipating that." When pressed on where Verstappen might end up, Brown said, "If I had to bet, I’d say to Mercedes." Regarding the possibility of Lambiase joining McLaren before 2028, he added, "There’s always a chance, but he has a contract and we’re going to respect that.
In conversations with Red Bull, they obviously need to have a solution, and once that’s in place we’d be open to a dialogue. But we’re prepared to wait until ’28 and that’s what we’ll do if that’s what ends up happening." The broader context of Verstappen’s situation includes his vocal criticism of the 2026 rule changes and his dissatisfaction with how the current cars have had to be driven ahead of the upcoming tweaks aimed at improving various aspects of the sport.
These comments have added another layer of uncertainty to his long‑term plans. As the 2024 season progresses, fans will be watching closely to see whether Verstappen’s ambition for a fifth championship will keep him at Red Bull for the full duration of his contract, or whether the combination of regulatory frustration, performance clauses, and potential new opportunities will prompt an earlier departure. Regardless of the outcome, both Norris and Piastri agree that the sport would be poorer without the Dutchman’s talent, competitiveness, and unapologetic personality. Formula 1 returns on May 1‑3 with the Miami Grand Prix, the second Sprint weekend of the season, live on Sky Sports F1.
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