Lando Norris selects five drivers who could make life ‘tougher’ for Max Verstappen

Lando Norris has included himself on a five-strong shortlist of drivers who he feels could take the fight to Max Verstappen in the other Red Bull car.

Red Bull have made no secret of the fact they are big admirers of the McLaren driver, who this week turned 24 years old in what is already his fifth full season in F1.

The consistent below-par performances of Sergio Perez has triggered wave after wave of rumours and, more often than not, Norris has been at the centre of them despite having a long-term contract in place with McLaren until the end of 2025.

Sergio Perez not on Lando Norris’ Red Bull shortlist

Speaking in an interview with Spanish broadcaster DAZN, Norris would intriguingly leave out Perez when asked which drivers he thinks would be capable of giving Verstappen a good run for his money on the other side of the Red Bull garage.

“I would like to be one at some point,” Norris said.

“Who else could it be? It would be nice if it was Lewis [Hamilton], it would be amazing to see him.

“Or Fernando [Alonso], or Carlos [Sainz], or Charles [Leclerc], or [George] Russell? They’re all great drivers who you know would make it tougher for him. There have always been rumours with me and other drivers.”

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With Perez looking all but certain to at least see out the current final year of his Red Bull contract in 2024, the replacement rumours have died down…but it won’t be long if the poor performances continue at the start of next season.

Red Bull may find, though, that the dream Norris option is off the table as the British star is more than open to continuing a legacy with the McLaren team.

Just last month, McLaren boss Andrea Stella revealed talks with Norris have already begun over a new contract extension.

“We are certainly having conversations with Lando,” Stella confirmed, as per Speedcafe.com.

“They are good conversations, we are happy with how these conversations are going.

“With Lando, we are doing exactly the same, trying to prove as much as possible on track that what we say [comes true], and trying to create a sense of this is going to continue over the coming years.

“I will be at discomfort, myself, having a conversation with a driver where I’m trying to persuade him playing cards that I don’t have in my hands.

“I don’t want to find myself in a situation where a driver said, ‘Hey, you said this would have happened, it’s not happening’. I don’t want to be in this position.

“So my conversations, Zak [Brown, McLaren CEO’s] conversations, they are genuine assessments of facts to the best of our knowledge.

“We don’t need to buy people in, we want people to give us the vote of confidence and stay with us, genuinely, truly believing in the journey together with McLaren.”

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