F1 pundit claims Lando Norris opted out of being Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull

F1 pundit Joe Saward recently explained how Lando Norris decided to turn down a rumored move to join Red Bull, alongside his good friend Max Verstappen. Norris is considered one of the best drivers on the grid. Hence, the reigning world champion team was looking to hire him as a second driver alongside the three-time world champion.

In his Green Notebook, Joe Saward initially stated how Sergio Perez's seat is a massive talking point in the second half of the 2023 F1 season since he is barely able to stay in second place in the drivers' championship table and is struggling to keep up with Max Verstappen.

Furthermore, he claimed that there were several discussions regarding Lando Norris joining Red Bull. Eventually, the British driver himself decided to debunk any and all rumors about him moving away from McLaren. One of the reasons could be because of the drastic performance improvement of the car after the 2023 F1 Austrian GP.

"There was vague talks some weeks ago that Red Bull was looking to buy Lando Norris out of his McLaren contract in order for him to race alongside Max Verstappen in 2024. Everyone denied it but there were definitely discussions. I am told that in the end Lando decided against it, perhaps because McLaren’s performances improved," Saward wrote.

After McLaren's major upgrade package in the 2023 F1 Austrian GP, both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been able to stay near the top of the grid and fight with the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari.

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Lando Norris opens up on rumored Red Bull move and his loyalty to McLaren

Lando Norris himself recently revealed how he has been talking to Red Bull regarding a move in the future. He praised the Austrian-British outfit for being one of the top teams in Formula 1 for several years now.

However, despite the talks and Red Bull being a great team, he expressed his loyalty to McLaren and feels that he can achieve his goals with the Papaya team.

The British driver 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."

As of now, Norris has two more years in his contract with McLaren. He is completely committed to the Papaya team, but only time will tell whether he will continue on the team after 2025 or jump ship.