F1 star admits factoring Hamilton rivalry into contract choice

Lando Norris has discussed his belief in McLaren and how past driver rivalries impacted his decision.

The 2023 season saw Norris finish on the podium seven times, wrapping up the season in sixth place with 205 points. However, the coveted race win has remained elusive for the talented Brit, who currently holds the unwanted record for most podium finishes without a victory.

READ MORE: Mercedes driver announcement imminent as team 'offers contract' to F1 star

Despite that, Norris' faith in McLaren's future is huge, leading him to extend his contract with the team well beyond 2025.

The team's impressive strides throughout last season, particularly the crucial upgrades that transformed their performance, played a pivotal role in his decision to commit his future to the Woking outfit and instilled a genuine belief that the gap to the front runners could be closed.

Now, his sights are firmly set not only on winning races but also on challenging Verstappen for the ultimate prize - the world championship.

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Norris: 'I'm not afraid of Max

Lando Norris didn't shy away from addressing the elephant in the room when discussing his championship aspirations.

"I believe I can achieve a championship at McLaren, that’s why I signed another contract," he said.

"I absolutely think I can go up against Max and give him a good challenge. But I also rate Max, so for anyone it’s extremely difficult to go up against Max in his team and challenge him for a world championship.

"He could have moved to Mercedes back in the day and gone up against Lewis [Hamilton] but would it have been a smart idea to have done that? Probably not and he probably wouldn’t be in a Red Bull now and it would be a different story.

"I am not afraid in any way of Max, I’m excited to be against Max. People rate him as up with the best, so I would like to prove myself by going up against that.

"I look forward to being able to battle him, but genuinely for position and not have him half a second a lap quicker and just drive past me."

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