"They just come up with an opinion that creates controversy" - Lando Norris strikes back at Jenson Button's criticism

Around this time last year, Lando Norris announced that he had extended his contract with McLaren that kept him with the team until at least the end of the 2025 F1 season, a decision that former McLaren driver Jenson Button admitted to being "surprised" by.

Former world champion Button suggested that Norris made a questionable decision that he could potentially regret, given the team's declining trajectory over the past few seasons.

Responding to Button's comments, Norris stated that while he respects the opinions of others, he does not regret the decision to extend his McLaren contract, emphasizing that he has full faith in the team's capabilities.

As reported by Crash, the 23-year-old Briton said:

“It is not always that simple. The thing with F1 is that you can be the best driver in the world, and not be in the best car, and that is through no fault of your own. Lewis [Hamilton] came into McLaren [in 2007] when they were winning championships and winning races and from the beginning, that makes you look good.”

“If he came into McLaren now he wouldn’t have won a race and he wouldn’t have been anywhere near the driver he is today or achieved what he has today. It is my choice and I am the one who says “yes” or “no”. I could just be here because I am enjoying it more and I like McLaren and it as simple as that.”

Lando Norris added:

“I respect people’s opinions – particularly Jenson’s because he has been through a lot of these times – so I take it all on board. I don’t ignore it, I get what he is saying a little bit. But if someone says c**p about me, then cool I will laugh about it and move on. Big deal. A few years ago I probably would have taken it a bit more to heart. I am doing the best I can, but most people who make these comments are people that don’t just have knowledge of what the facts are. They just come up with an opinion that creates controversy.”

McLaren began the 2022 season on a relatively positive note, before slowly falling behind through the course of the season and losing their fourth-place position in the constructors' championship to Alpine.

Lando Norris and his team will be hoping to do better in the upcoming season and establish themselves as the best midfield team, if not a frontrunner.

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Lando Norris absolutely "could move" to another team, says journalist Ted Kravitz

British reporter Ted Kravitz believes that Lando Norris could certainly cut his contract short and move to another F1 team in the near future. He emphasized that if the Briton truly does lose "faith" in McLaren, it would not be impossible for him to move to another team.

“As for Lando, we’ve learnt by now that drivers’ contracts are not worth the paper they’re written on, and absolutely he could move anywhere at any time if the price is right, if a top team or a team with a more competitive car comes in for him, as they say in football, and taps him up, then anything’s possible. There’s no contract that can’t be got out of and if Lando loses the faith, then it’s absolutely possible he could move.”

Teams like Red Bull have reportedly previously been in talks with Lando Norris, although he has not expressed an interest in driving for another team before his McLaren contract comes to an end.