Norris is not afraid of Verstappen, but did not want to be his teammate

Lando Norris firmly believes he can take on Max Verstappen. As such, the Briton denies that he is afraid to compete against the Dutchman, although he did renounce a move to Red Bull Racing.

Norris has been linked with a seat at Red Bull Racing several times in recent years. Last year, the rumours were strongest and Norris also spoke to Christian Horner. However, the Red Bull Racing team boss could not tempt the Briton to make the switch and Norris signed a new deal at McLaren.

As Norris did not seize the opportunity to step in alongside Verstappen, he was labelled by some as 'scared'. The McLaren driver disagrees. "I believe I can achieve a championship at McLaren, that’s why I signed another contract," the Briton states to The Guardian.

Despite Sergio Perez's expiring contract and unrest within Red Bull Racing, Norris does not seem to suddently decided on leaving McLaren. The British team are on the rise and Norris signed a new multi-year deal in early 2024. His old contract ran until the end of the 2024 season.