Oscar Piastri from Australia and Lando Norris from Great Britain, both representing McLaren, were seen in the drivers’ parade during the Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 5, Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, China, on April 21, 2024.
Helmut Marko, a consultant from Red Bull, confirmed that the team has a long-term interest in the future of McLaren’s drivers in Formula 1, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Norris was previously rumored to join Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, but he decided to sign a multi-term contract extension with McLaren before the start of the current season. Marko was pushing for Norris to join Red Bull even before his F1 debut, proposing a spot at Toro Rosso, Red Bull’s sister team, in 2018. Last season, Marko revealed that Norris was one of the top candidates to replace Sergio Perez. Although Norris is not a viable option for Red Bull in 2025, Marko stated that the McLaren star, who achieved two podiums in 2024, remains a top priority.
Marko mentioned in an interview with the Austrian television broadcaster ServusTV: “He is young and definitely someone we are keeping an eye on. Lando’s father jokes that Lando won’t celebrate his first Grand Prix victory until Max Verstappen retires. I told him that Lando should come to us, then things would definitely progress faster.”
Marko also revealed that Red Bull is considering Norris’ teammate at McLaren, Oscar Piastri. Piastri had a standout season last year, despite spending 2022 as a reserve driver. He secured two podiums and a Sprint race win in Qatar. However, like Norris, Piastri has signed a long-term contract with McLaren and is committed until 2026, ruling him out as a candidate for Red Bull next season. Marko added: “Norris has a contract until 2026, so he is not a short-term option, nor is Oscar Piastri. However, both drivers certainly interest us for the future.”
