By Joe Man
There is no doubt that Lando Norris has proved that he is good enough to be a world champion. His consistency is second to none and every week he is dragging the best out of his McLaren. The same, unfortunately cannot be said for his teammate Daniel Ricciardo, however. The young British driver has been a match made in heaven with the orange team, but he will need to be given a race winning car by the end of next season otherwise he could understandably look for other options.
So why does Wheel2Wheel Reports think he is going to Mercedes?
Think about it this way. Assuming McLaren can’t make it to the front. They certainly don’t look any closer currently than at any point over the last number of years. Where else could he race?
Red Bull have Max Verstappen and as long as he has a car good enough to win the world championship, he has no reason to go anywhere. Sergio Perez has just signed until the end of 2024 and at 32 years old has many great years left. Should the Mexican leave, the name of Albon is surely a far more likely option. This partnership so far is working for everyone at Red Bull and it seems unlikely at this stage that a lando will find his way there anytime soon.
Elsewhere, Ferrari have two fine young drivers even if one is currently underperforming. Sainz and Leclerc clearly love being with the Italian giants, although you feel they will need to provide one of them a world championship either this year or next. They certainly need to stop making mistakes like we saw in Monaco!
Of the ‘big three’ that leaves just one team; Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton is one of the greatest drivers of all time, but hbis age is catching up to the seven time world champion. After the disappointment of this year, it’s hard to see Lewis bowing out at the end of 2022. If the car comes good later this year, he will surely continue into 2023. He will still want to get the eighth crown that he truly deserves and arguably should have had last year. At the end of the day, it will come down to how much he loves the sport. But for Lewis, it must be racing at the front and in a title battle. The man from Stevenage is out of contract at the end of 2023 and it could be his last year. This could be good news for Lando Norris!
Mercedes are going to be in a long term relationship with George Russell. They are a powerhouse team and will provide him a chance at the crown before long. He has suited that car since the start of the season and it is a deal that works for both driver and team, alike. With Norris alongside him, Mercedes would have the dream team. Two English drivers in an English based team battling to be the best. It’s a perfect fit! Sport is all about the brand these days and you don’t get better than these two drivers. It’s a story everyone would want to see! Childhood friends head to head in the same team, the story writes itself!
It might give Toto a few headaches however! Estaban Ocon would surely want to throw his name into contention but there are so many reasons why Norris should end up at Merc. He is only 22 years old and is like lightning. He would be more than a match for Russell and there aren’t many who can say that!
The only other driver who might be in the conversation is Pierre Gasly. He desperately needs a new direction after Sergio extended his contract ending any hope of getting back in a Red Bull. Is he as good as Norris though? Perhaps Alpine may be a better long term option should Fernando Alonso retire over the next couple of seasons.
Russell, Leclerc, Sainz, and Verstappen all took their opportunity with a big team and excelled straight away. Lando did the same with McLaren. Unfortunately for Gasly, he went the other way. Having got his big chance at Red Bull he couldn’t deliver. It’s a hard stain to wash off. Mercedes most likely won’t go for Gasly if they think they can get Norris! You can bet your life there is a clause in Lando’s contract if Mercedes come knocking!
WHEEL2WHEEL REPORTS 