Oscar Piastri of Australia and Lando Norris of Great Britain, both representing McLaren, were seen on the drivers’ parade during the Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 5, Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, China on April 21, 2024.
Helmut Marko, an advisor for Red Bull, has confirmed that the team has a long-term interest in the future of McLaren Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Norris was previously rumored to join Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, but he ultimately decided to sign a multi-term contract extension with McLaren before the current season began. Marko had been pushing for Norris to join Red Bull even before his F1 debut, proposing a seat with Toro Rosso, Red Bull’s sister team, back in 2018. Last season, Marko revealed that Norris was a top candidate to replace Sergio Perez. Although Norris is not a viable option for Red Bull in 2025, Marko has stated that the McLaren star, who has achieved two podium finishes in 2024, remains a priority target.
Marko mentioned in an interview with Austrian television broadcaster ServusTV, “He is young and definitely someone we are keeping an eye on. Lando’s father jokes that Lando won’t celebrate his first grand prix victory until Max Verstappen retires. I told him that Lando should come to us, then things would definitely progress faster.”
Marko also revealed that Red Bull is considering Norris’ McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri. Piastri had an impressive breakthrough season last year, despite spending 2022 as a reserve driver. He scored two podium finishes and a win in the Qatar Sprint. However, like Norris, Piastri has signed a long-term contract with McLaren and is committed until 2026, ruling him out as a candidate for Red Bull next season. Marko added, “Norris has a contract until 2026, so he is not an option in the short term, and neither is Oscar Piastri. However, both drivers are certainly of interest to us in the future.”