Lando Norris has ‘zero exit clauses’ in his McLaren contract, insists Zak Brown

Michelle Foster
Lando Norris on the grid before the race. Bahrain March 2023.

McLaren driver Lando Norris speaks to his engineer before the race. Bahrain March 2023.

Speculation Lando Norris could be off to Mercedes or Ferrari will not come to pass, at least not before 2026, as Zak Brown is adamant there are “zero exit clauses” in his driver’s contract.

With McLaren failing to fire this season, it has been suggested Norris’ days at McLaren are numbered.

That’s at odds with his contract, which runs through to 2025 with the Briton having signed a four-year extension worth a reported £80 million in February last season.

Former McLaren driver Jenson Button has suggested the driver may be regretting signing a long-term deal while another ex-driver Karun Chandhok believes his future could lie with Mercedes as he “has got to be the number one pick” to replace Lewis Hamilton when he calls time on his F1 career.

But if that happens before 2026 it won’t be Norris who takes the Mercedes seat, with Brown saying they have an air-tight contract with their driver.

“He has zero exit clauses,” the McLaren CEO told Sky Sports F1.

“Ultimately, when his contract is next up, if we are not performing and he doesn’t feel he can win races and can compete for the championship, then I think anybody, driver or team member for that matter [would be considering leaving], we are all here to win.

“He has got a contract with us and, most importantly, he is very happy here and he sees the progress that we are making, and he is a team player.

“So, even contracts aside, it is about that he is in a happy environment, he is along for the journey, and we have got some time to prove to him that we are going to give him a car capable of winning.

“Right now it is pretty easy but if we are sitting here in two years’ time and his contract is nearing the end, then it is a different situation if we are not performing and I would understand him going ‘I need to get into a winning race car’.

“But, right now, I think we are all focused on working together to get that car so I think it is too early to be worried about anything other than having a good weekend.”

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However, when former team boss Andreas Seidl said the same last season about the 23-year-old’s contract, Norris implied there were “things” within the new contract that could open the door for him to leave.

“There’s things here and there like there is in every single person’s contract,” said the Briton. “But, in terms of my commitment, it is very high.

“So I’m confident I’ll be here for the next four years.”