Former F1 driver urges Lando Norris to find a way out of McLaren - "If they’re smart, they would have created some sort of exit clauses"

F1 presenter Karun Chandhok recently spoke about Lando Norris and how the young Briton should jump ship to progress further in F1. It's safe to say that McLaren is simply unable to build a race-winning car and move up the grid. Instead, they are gradually moving down the pecking order. At the Bahrain GP, Lando Norris faced several different hiccups, which forced the team to pit the driver six times.

Speaking on Sky Sports' vodcast on YouTube, Chandhok explained why Norris should start searching for a new team and mentioned how good of a job Zak Brown did in locking the youngster into his team by signing a four-year deal with him. However, the F1 presenter hopes that Norris has an exit clause that will allow him to change teams before the contract ends:

"I tell you who will be thinking about a move to Ferrari or Red Bull though, is young Lando Norris. Looking at where they’re [McLaren] at, and we were talking before the season of McLaren locking him in and Zak [Brown] doing an amazing job of contracting him in for that four-year period. I do wonder, and if they’re smart, they would have created some sort of exit clauses."

Karun Chandhok further appreciated Lando Norris for being one of the top drivers despite not having a car that can finish on podiums. Stating that Norris should get a better car than what McLaren is offering at the moment, Chandhok added:

"For example, McLaren don’t finish in the top four of the Constructors’ Championship two years in a row, is there an option for Lando to look elsewhere? Because outside of the traditional top three teams, you’ve got Fernando [Alonso] and Lando who are your top two drivers on the grid aren’t they? And the fact he [Norris] is fighting to even get a car into Q3, there’s got to be a bit of frustration there I would imagine."

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F1 presenter felt sad for Lando Norris after Bahrain GP

Another F1 presenter, Jolyon Palmer, was saddened to see Lando Norris fighting in the bottom half of the table at the Bahrain GP. According to Palmer, Norris is one of the most talented drivers on the grid, and to see him struggle to fight teams like Williams was saddening. Speaking about the race, Palmer said:

"He gets into the top 10, he’s overtaken by Albon and then has Sargeant on debut in the Williams hassling him. I mean, this is a guy who’s had a pole, he’s been fighting for podiums and got one last year, he shouldn’t be fighting at the back, so I feel a bit sad for Lando with the state that McLaren are in.”

Despite McLaren's struggles in the midfield, Norris has clearly stated that he's happy with the team and wants to stay.