"Beside Max Verstappen, your career just stops" - Dutchman reveals why Lando Norris didn't sign up with Red Bull

Tom Coronel, a Dutch F1 pundit, recently spoke about how Lando Norris's career would pan out if he teams up with Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen.

It is no secret that most of Verstappen's teammates have struggled quite a lot with Red Bull. Since the Dutchman's style of driving is quite unique, and Red Bull's cars are mostly built according to him, other drivers have a hard time keeping up with the car.

In an interview with Formule 1 magazine, Tom Coronel explained how Lando Norris took the right step to not join Red Bull and wait for better future opportunities. He also explained how drivers like Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and even Sergio Perez are unable to compete at the very top because of how strong Max Verstappen is.

Coronel explained:

“Whether he should sit next to Max? No. Then he will get the same as all the others (Gasly, Albon, Perez). Beside Max, your career just stops. It was wise of Norris not to go to Red Bull. It is better to wait for another opportunity. He actually does that now.”

However, the Dutch pundit also pointed out how McLaren is also the wrong team for the young Briton and that he must move in order to have a better chance of winning more races and and eventually world titles.

In October, Lando Norris revealed that he was in talks with Red Bull for a seat alongside Max Verstappen. Eventually, the Briton decided to remain with McLaren and extended his contract until 2025.

Lando Norris told Auto Motor Sport magazine:

"There have been talks with Red Bull. They are a team that has been in the top three for years. But that just shows even more how much confidence I have in McLaren. Although there were talks, I felt McLaren was better for me to achieve my goals."

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Former F1 driver feels Lando Norris could win his first race in 2023

Jolyon Palmer, a former F1 driver, praised Lando Norris for having such a strong 2022 F1 season. He was right behind Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull drivers, which shows how brilliant the Briton has been. Hence, Palmer believes that Norris could bag his maiden race victory in the 2023 season if he keeps charging forward.

In a recent post-season column on the official F1 website, Jolyon Palmer said:

“Out-qualified only once by the departing Daniel Ricciardo, it seemed Norris took his performance to another level, even if the standout moments weren’t as exceptional as last year. With a long-term contract in place, he’ll be hoping for a leap in performance from his team next season. If that comes, I expect Norris to be knocking on the door of that maiden race win once again.”

Especially when compared to his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo, the young Briton was exceptional in the 2022 F1 season. He single-handedly fought against Alpine for the top spot in the midfield table.