Lando Norris has pushed back on the noise around Max Verstappen to McLaren, saying the Red Bull champion is not the only driver interested in the team. McLaren has become popular enough that Formula 1’s rumor mill has found a new obsession.
The attention followed reports after the Austrian Grand Prix that Verstappen’s camp had spoken with McLaren, with the approach was reportedly made by Verstappen’s camp. Verstappen, a four-time world champion, has not yet committed to Red Bull for 2027.
Why Verstappen’s future is still drawing attention
Verstappen finished second at Red Bull’s home race in Austria, a strong result for the Milton Keynes-based team, but it did nothing to quiet the questions about his long-term plans.
A possible exit clause in his Red Bull deal can reportedly be activated in Hungary, which has only added to speculation about where he could race beyond his current commitments. McLaren is not the only team in that conversation. Verstappen has also been repeatedly linked with Mercedes, even as George Russell has insisted he will remain with the Silver Arrows next year.
The McLaren angle, though, is especially striking because the team already has one of the most settled driver pairings on the grid: Norris and Oscar Piastri.
McLaren says there is no obvious seat available
McLaren chief executive Zak Brown has said there is no room for Verstappen in the team’s current lineup, given Norris and Piastri are both in place. That has not stopped the idea from attracting attention, because this is Formula 1 and an unavailable seat can still apparently host several weeks of discussion.
Verstappen has not ruled out the idea in principle if circumstances changed. But for now, McLaren’s public position is that its future is built around the drivers it already has.
That kind of stability matters. Norris and Piastri have given McLaren pace, consistency, and a pairing that works in a sport where harmony usually doesn’t last long.
Norris says Verstappen is not the only interested driver
Asked about the reports of Verstappen speaking to McLaren, Norris said the focus was a little narrow.
"To be honest, a lot of drivers want to come to McLaren, so I don't know why you just... I don't know why you just highlight Max," Norris said.
"There's quite a few others that I know want to come as well. So, no, I mean, it's a cool thing. It's a good thing that a four-time world champion wants to come on board and potentially join the team. I don't know how much of it is true, but it’s interesting."
Norris did not frame the Verstappen talk as a threat. If anything, he treated it as a sign of how far McLaren has climbed. Drivers wanting in is generally a healthier problem than drivers looking for the nearest exit.
Norris remains focused on Piastri and McLaren
Norris also said he would welcome the chance to work alongside strong teammates, but stressed that nothing serious is happening now.
"And if there's an opportunity for me to drive with other people, it's something I've always looked forward to," he said. "But it's not a thing for now. It's not a serious thing, and I'm also just excited for my future with McLaren. I'm still going to be here for many, many more years, so I'm excited for whoever I get partnered with."
For the moment, Norris said the priority remains his partnership with Piastri.
"But, for the time being, me and Oscar are working very well together and, yeah, we're excited to work together for more years too. So, that's our focus for now."
That’s the real takeaway beneath all the speculation. Verstappen’s next move remains one of Formula 1’s most watched stories, but McLaren already has two drivers it believes in. Norris, at least publicly, sounds more amused by the attention than unsettled by it.
