In early 2024, Lando Norris secured his long-term future by signing a new deal with McLaren.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown was asked if the coincidental timing of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari played a part in how Lando Norris saw his new deal with McLaren announced at a similar time.
In early February, the Formula 1 world was taken aback by Hamilton’s unexpected transfer to Ferrari in 2025. However, just a few days prior to this surprising move, McLaren had already secured Norris’s future at the team with a long-term contract extension. This strategic move effectively thwarted any remaining interest from their competitors.
Zak Brown sets the record straight on Lando Norris deal
Brown was asked about his knowledge of the seven-time World Champion’s move to the Scuderia, considering the timing of the announcement. This switch has prompted movement in the driver market for 2025.
However, Brown disclosed that Norris had actually signed his new contract several months prior to McLaren’s official announcement. The team’s intention was to allow Norris to have a peaceful Christmas break and then reintroduce him to the public eye once the winter break concluded.
During the Beyond the Grid podcast, Brown addressed whether McLaren had prior knowledge of Hamilton’s potential move to Ferrari and if it influenced their decision to sign Norris. Brown clarified that McLaren had no prior information and they announced Norris independently.
We had actually finalized his signing at the end of the year, but we preferred to announce it when he returned.
Usually, we allow our drivers to take a break after the end of the year and our team holiday party. We didn’t want to go through the hassle of creating a written press release.
Many individuals believed that the signing had occurred just in the nick of time, but in truth, he had been officially signed for a few months beforehand.
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We were certain about having Lando on our team, and we decided to exercise our option on Oscar early in the previous year. We were convinced after watching him perform in just a few races. We didn’t see any reason to wait until the specified date in the contract; instead, we were eager to extend our partnership as soon as possible.
One of the main goals I have for the team is to ensure stability, visibility, and longevity for all our team members. Although the two drivers are highly renowned and well compensated, they are simply two members among the rest of the racing team.
As for Brown himself, he recently signed a new contract to continue as McLaren CEO until 2030, having been at the helm while the team has progressed from the midfield to where they are now.
He has already expressed his desire to aid the team in reclaiming their status as title contenders. Their last World Championship victory was achieved through Hamilton’s Drivers’ crown in 2008. He believes that this latest deal is a natural progression towards achieving his goals.
In his most recent contract, Brown stated, “Deciding to stay with McLaren was a no-brainer – although perhaps I should ask my chairman if he found it challenging. Personally, I informed them that I have a long-term plan spanning 10 years, and I believe this won’t be my final contract with McLaren, but rather the next one.”
However, if the decision is mine, I will not retire until I reach the age of 59. I have already calculated the numbers and I am certain that I will not stop working at that age.
“I have the vision to continue working at McLaren for another 10 or 20 years, as I truly adore being a part of this organization.”
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