Lando Norris has committed his future to McLaren by signing a new four-year contract extension valued at £120 million, which will keep him racing for the British team until at least the end of the 2030 Formula 1 season.
According to the Press Association, Norris’s deal could be worth as much as £30 million per year, positioning him among the sport’s top earners, behind only Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
At 26, Norris rewarded McLaren with their first drivers' championship since Hamilton’s triumph with the team in 2008. Confirmation of the contract extension came just days after Norris secured his second successive race victory at the Dutch Grand Prix, fuelling hopes of him defending his world title this season. Currently, Norris trails Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli by 83 points, with 11 races still to be held.
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While Hamilton and Verstappen reportedly earn upwards of £60 million annually, Norris expressed a mixture of respect and ambition regarding the disparity. “I feel I should earn as much as them, but the contract is certainly not close to the level of Lewis or Max, which, in a way, it shouldn’t be because I’ve not achieved as much as them in their careers," Norris said. “But in another way, I believe it should be, because I believe I can fight against them whenever I need to, and I can do a better job whenever I need to. But I’m working on it. Hopefully I can then try and match it one day.”
This extension will see Norris reach at least 12 seasons with McLaren, having entered their junior programme at just 17 years old. Despite interest from rival teams, the Englishman has remained loyal, having already competed in more races for McLaren than any driver in the team’s history.
“There was interest from other teams but there was no interest from me towards other teams,” he added. “It really was the easiest decision I’ve had to make in my career so far. I’ve not been someone who jumps from team to team. I stuck with McLaren through times when there were opportunities in the past to go elsewhere.
“I was very happy to just stay where I felt very comfortable, followed by the fact that I wanted to get good results. And I still believed through the earlier, harder periods at McLaren that what we achieved over the last few years was possible and obviously all of that came true.
“Of course, I’ll always have thoughts about the future, but at the minute, there’s really no reason to even consider going elsewhere. I’ll be very pleased at the end of my career to say that McLaren is the only team I’ve raced for.
“And if you think about it from a team perspective – what will motivate the team, what makes them comfortable, and what provides the biggest push – and we need every boost we can get right now from morale and motivation – then the timing is perfect. I want them to know there’s no other place I’d rather be than right here.”
Norris now aims to build on his impressive form by seeking a third consecutive victory at next weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, further solidifying his standing as a strong contender in this year’s championship.