"I invited him to McLaren": Lando Norris on potential partnership with Max Verstappen

Lando Norris is open to partnering with Max Verstappen as a teammate in the future. Speaking ahead of the Monza GP in a press conference, the Briton hailed the Dutchman as one of the best talents in the history of the sport and one that he admires.

Speaking to Sky Sports Italia after the Dutch GP, Verstappen said he has often had conversations with the McLaren driver about the possibility of being teammates someday. Known to be his best friend in the sport, Norris spoke at the Dutch GP about the Red Bull champion not being given enough credit for his achievements.

Asked by Sportskeeda if he saw himself becoming the Dutchman’s teammate in the future, the Briton was open to the possibility and intrigued by the potential of such a partnership.

Commenting on partnering with Max Verstappen in the future, Norris said:

“It’s definitely something I would be open to in the future. I think I can happily say Max is probably one of the best drivers ever in the history of Formula 1. I never raced against him until I was in Formula 1 but I was always in the category below."

"In karting, I already knew him reasonably well. Back in 2012-2013 was the first time I got to meet him and get to know him, so I’ve been able to witness what he’s doing and I think it’s not just that he’s in a good car and he’s able to perform," Norris added.

Praising the exceptional ability of Max Verstappen to perform at a competitive level in any car, the McLaren driver felt it would be intriguing to see where he stood against the Dutch champion. Having known the Red Bull driver prior to F1, Norris feels proud to witness his growth as one of the best talents in the sport.

"I think no matter what car he’s in, he’ll be able to perform at a similar level," Norris said. "Maybe with different results but at a similar level and I think at that point it’d be great to work alongside someone like that and, at the same time, see where I can really stand against him. I’d be open to it. I invited him to McLaren the other day. So, if he wants to come any time, he’s very welcome.”

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Max Verstappen responds to driving alongside Lando Norris

Max Verstappen believes Lando Norris’ long-term commitment does not help the cause of the two drivers partnering with each other as teammates any time soon. However, the Dutchman said he had a good relationship with the Briton which makes it an interesting prospect for him.

Speaking to Sky Sports about partnering with Norris, Max Verstappen said:

“He’s signed a very long term deal with McLaren a few years ago. So that was probably not a smart thing to do for him from his side. But yeah we have a good relationship, we get along very well and I mean I know he’s one of the best drivers there at the moment. For sure, it will be very interesting to team up with each other. But at the moment of course its not possible.”

Often spotted hanging out together in Monaco, the bonding between the duo is reflected in their banter in press conferences.

On his way to clinching a third title, Max Verstappen is in a league of his own with a 138-point lead over his own teammate Sergio Perez. Despite the criticism over his car suiting his driving style, the Dutchman has silenced his critics by explaining his way of being able to mould his driving style around the car.