Ex-Formula 1 race winner Johnny Herbert has warned Lando Norris that departing McLaren to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull would represent an unnecessary “risk”.
While Verstappen is tied down through 2028, a continuation of the struggles that Sergio Perez experienced last season could witness Red Bull change its driver line-up for 2025.
The Mexican endured a troubled campaign and trailed Verstappen by 290 points, having logged only two victories compared to his team-mate’s record-breaking tally of 19 wins.
Although Daniel Ricciardo, currently driving for AlphaTauri, is regarded as the favourite to replace Perez, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko revealed that Norris is on their radar.
Red Bull previously tried to lure Norris away prior to his F1 debut in 2019, while the Briton disclosed that talks took place before he renewed with McLaren until the end of 2025.
Norris’ unwavering commitment to McLaren paid dividends last season as the Woking squad recovered from a torrid start to become a regular contender at the sharp end. A vastly improved MCL60 car enabled Norris to produce seven podium finishes.
But although Martin Brundle suggested that Norris should keep his “options open” for the future, Herbert believes he would be unwise to leave a McLaren team in the ascendancy.
“I think if we do it just from a driver’s perspective, you’re always going to try and work out what’s going to benefit you,” Herbert outlined to Express Sport.
“Now, is the risk of him going to Red Bull worth it in the situation that he finds himself?
“McLaren [are] doing really, really well… McLaren love having him in the team. He delivers when the car is working properly…
“Is it worth the risk? Personally no, I don’t think it is worth the risk.
“He’s still young, he’s still going to get better, he’s still going to improve and at the moment McLaren are on a very good trajectory to get themselves maybe in a stronger position for next year.
“We’re going to have to wait and see obviously, but I don’t see why he’d want to make his life that little bit more difficult when he actually is in a very good position that he’s got at the moment.”
Following his thrashing of Daniel Ricciardo, Norris took on the mantle of being the more experienced driver at McLaren for the first time last year amid Oscar Piastri’s arrival.
While the rookie Australian bagged the team’s sole win of the year in the Qatar Sprint race, Norris outscored Piastri by 206 points to 97 to place three positions higher overall.
Norris and Piastri will front McLaren’s charge in 2024 as the British outfit bids to build on its momentum from last season and pose an even greater threat to Red Bull’s supremacy.
The Milton-Keynes camp has dominated F1 since the return to using ground effect machinery, triumphing in 39 of the last 44 races to clinch successive title doubles.
