Lando Norris – who recently signed a new McLaren contract – emphasizes that after more than seven seasons with the British racing team, he can exert a certain ‘power and influence’ on the team. The 26-year-old Brit has grown over the past years into the figurehead of McLaren, with whom he won his first world title in 2025. Now that he is secured until 2030, he explains how he has gradually claimed a key role within the McLaren ranks.
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At the end of August, Lando Norris announced that he had extended his contract for another three years. In doing so, he followed the example of Max Verstappen, who signed a similarly long collaboration with Red Bull the day before the Zandvoort Grand Prix. Like Verstappen, Norris grew up within his team and is now – as it turns out – inseparably connected to the racing team.
Asked about his position as a driver and his growing influence within McLaren, Norris looked back on his first seasons in the sport. “You learn over the years when to talk and when not to,” he responded to Sky Sports. “Regarding the power you have as a driver and as an individual, you don’t cross boundaries in the first few years. I certainly won’t rise above anyone else, those kinds of things,” he laughed.
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Lando Norris takes on leadership role within McLaren
“Over time I have learned that my role is not just about driving the car,” Norris explained. “It’s also about how I can be a leader, how I can guide the team, how I can be a voice for all the people who work here – all the men and women. How can I motivate them to perform better, to improve? How can I push my own limits, but also ensure that we as a team keep pushing?”
“I have learned what power and influence I can have on the direction in which we work as a team,” he cited as an example. “Of course, I never want to abuse that, but at the same time I know that I am in a position where I can act decisively to get what I want: from the car, from the team, from the people around me. That is very important. As an athlete, you have to use that position, no matter what sport you are active in. You have to know how to try to get what you want as an individual. At this moment, I feel very good with the people around me: my team, the people in our various roles, the team management, the work ethic… That is ultimately the most important thing.”
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