Mathias Lauda believes Lando Norris would be the ideal teammate for Max Verstappen, praising Norris’s performance and suggesting he could challenge Verstappen if they were teammates, despite Norris’s recent contract extension with McLaren until 2027.
Highlights
‣ Mathias Lauda views Lando Norris as an ideal teammate for Max Verstappen, praising Norris’s performance level in Formula 1.
‣ Norris demonstrated his skill by securing a sprint pole and finishing second in the Chinese Grand Prix, effectively challenging Red Bull Racing’s dominance.
‣ Despite Norris’s recent contract extension with McLaren until 2027, Lauda believes a pairing of Norris and Verstappen would be logical due to Norris’s proven capabilities.
‣ Red Bull Racing is considering options for Verstappen’s teammate next season, with Sergio Perez currently favored, but Lauda suggests Norris could be a strong contender if not for his commitment to McLaren.
Mathias Lauda’s got an eye for talent, no doubt. He reckons Lando Norris is the ideal sidekick for Max Verstappen. Imagine that combo! The son of the F1 icon, Niki Lauda, can’t help but admire how Norris handles his McLaren. It’s like watching poetry in motion, or so I’d imagine.
Saturday was a bit of a rollercoaster for Norris. He snagged the sprint pole, which was pretty epic. But then, the sprint race had him sliding back a bit. Yet, come the Chinese Grand Prix, the guy clinched second place. Stopped Red Bull Racing from snagging the top two spots at the Shanghai International Circuit. Quite the feat, huh?
Lauda was all praises. “Lando did a great job,” he said. Sergio Pérez? Couldn’t even get close. Lauda’s take is that Pérez could nab second if the stars align. But leading the pack on his own steam, like Verstappen? Not happening. For Lauda, Norris is right up there with the best in Formula 1, just trailing behind Verstappen.
### Norris attractive
So, Norris has put pen to paper, sticking with McLaren till 2027. Red Bull’s chances of snagging the 24-year-old Brit? Slim to none. Lauda thinks Norris would be a stellar pick for Verstappen’s teammate. He’s been showing his worth at McLaren, after all. But here’s the kicker: Max and Pérez are pretty cozy as teammates. No top driver’s looking for a teammate to ruffle their feathers. Yet, Lauda believes Norris could be the one to stir the pot if he joined forces with Verstappen at the Milton Keynes squad. Even Helmut Marko’s singing Norris’s praises.
Red Bull Racing’s on the hunt for Verstappen’s partner in crime for next season. Pérez seems to have the inside track. But don’t count out Carlos Sainz or maybe even Yuki Tsunoda. The plot thickens, as they say.
