F1 News: Lando Norris had talks with Red Bull before signing McLaren deal
Lando Norris has established himself as the centre of the McLaren project as the Woking-based team works to climb up the field and consistently fight for victories.
The 22-year-old is executing another strong season for McLaren, though by his own admission, he wants to compete for more than just F1's midfield positions.
Norris agreed to a multi-year deal with McLaren before the start of this season, committing him to the team until the end of 2025.
However, the Briton has revealed to the German outlet AMuS that he entered discussions with the likes of Red Bull before agreeing to his extension with McLaren:
"Of course, there are conversations with other people from time to time. You always ask yourself - what is best for my career?
"After all, I want to win and win world championships. There have been talks with Red Bull. They are a team that has been in the top three for years.
"But that just goes to show how much confidence I have in McLaren. Although there were talks, I felt McLaren was better for me to achieve my goals."
These quotes demonstrate a strong belief in McLaren's ability to make significant progress and win races, which may or may not prove to be misplaced.
Some would criticise Norris for his decision to overlook a championship-winning team in Red Bull for a team currently battling for fourth place in the constructors.
After all, the next major regulation changes are in 2026, and Red Bull seems almost certain to fight for race victories on a regular basis until then.
Despite this, Norris appears happy with the environment at McLaren, a team where his development as a driver has been clear in the last few seasons.
The 22-year-old's faith in McLaren is undoubtedly a gamble, but Norris seems confident that the team is laying the foundations to reassert themselves as challengers in F1.
Success in Formula 1 is often predicated on drivers making the correct career decisions off-track, so time will tell if Norris will regret not pushing for a Red Bull contract.