McLaren may have negotiated contract ‘clause’ to re-sign FIA Rookie of the Year winner in 2027

McLaren’s driver line-up appears set for the next two years at least. But nothing is certain in the Formula 1 market.

At the start of 2024, Lando Norris signed a new long-term contract, one that could keep him at McLaren until the end of 2028. There’s an option for 2029 too if both parties are satisfied.

Norris has only recently turned 25 and it looks as if his racing prime is still ahead of him. Provided McLaren are competitive following the 2026 regulation changes – and they should have the budget, personnel and engine to thrive – it’s feasible that Red Bull target Norris pens another contract extension.

Indeed, given that the Englishman arrived in 2019 when McLaren were still in the early stages of their renaissance, their bond is especially deep. Both parties may envisage a career-long partnership, so long as Norris is in a position to win titles.

McLaren handed Oscar Piastri a new deal during his impressive rookie season. Naturally, it was a shorter commitment, running until the end of 2026.

Zak Brown feels he has the best driver line-up on the grid, but Piastri has warned of a Lewis Hamilton/Nico Rosberg repeat. They started out as friends, but their relationship broke down as they fought for the championship, a recurring theme throughout the history of F1.

How McLaren could bring back Gabriel Bortoleto after Sauber move

McLaren’s satisfaction was evident in their decision to release Gabriel Bortoleto. The Formula 2 champion was signed to their academy, but clearly had no immediate advancement prospects.

As such, Brown agreed to let him join Sauber, who will become Audi from 2026. Bortoleto is one of the most exciting talents in motorsport right now, having been crowned the FIA’s Rookie of the Year earlier this month.

Ostensibly, McLaren released the Brazilian before he signed his Sauber contract. However, speaking on the F1-Insider YouTube channel, journalist Ralf Bach said it’s possible they’ve negotiated a contractual right to re-sign him.

This would likely take effect after an initial two or three-year period. It’s unclear if Audi would agree to such an arrangement, but McLaren may have insisted upon it.

“I am not sure whether McLaren has given him a full release, whether he does not have a clause in his contract that if he performs after two/three years, McLaren then has the right to bring him back,” Bach said. “Because he is actually an ex-McLaren junior.

“The new Audi boss [Mattia] Binotto had to negotiate with McLaren to get him.”

Felipe Massa says Gabriel Bortoleto has made the same mistakes as Max Verstappen

Still only 20, Bortoleto already offers a rounded package. By winning both F2 and F3, he emulated world-class drivers like Oscar Piastri, George Russell and Charles Leclerc.

With minimal changes to the regulations, Sauber could well be F1’s slowest team next year. It may be difficult to score points, but outperforming Nico Hulkenberg on an even semi-consistent basis will attract covetous glances.

Bortoleto ‘caught everyone’s attention’ in his first Sauber test with his polite messages on the team radio. The calm, assured demeanour does not come easy to rookies.

Inevitably, there are still errors in his driving. But Felipe Massa likened Bortoleto to Max Verstappen in that his ‘aggressive’ style occasionally backfires, but clearly paid off over the full season.