Lando Norris is sure McLaren remains “the best place for me” despite some questioning his long-term commitment.
Now in his fourth year at the Woking-based team, Norris signed a contract extension until the end of 2025 during the off-season, one that also came with a pay rise.
However, hopes that Formula 1’s new 2022 regulations would help McLaren move up the competitive order are yet to materialise as the team and Lando are still competing in the midfield group.
Even so, the 22-year-old pushes back against those who suggest he should look for a seat at the likes of Mercedes or Red Bull.
“They’re clueless!” Norris told Sky Sports.
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“I don’t know why… everyone thinks they know, he definitely could have gone here, he could have done that.
“But most of the time they know absolutely nothing, all these people coming up with these conclusions.
“[Some scepticism has] come from people that I have a lot of respect for and of course I respect their opinions,” he acknowledged.
“But at the same time, I have a good team around me so we know where I want to be and when, and what the team can offer me going into the future.
“I still believe it’s the best place for me because it’s where I’ve grown up, I know what we have coming.
“I have played, let’s say, a little bit more of a long-term game rather than short-term,” he concluded.
With six podiums to his name, Norris is considered one of the top young talents on the grid.
And McLaren boss Andreas Seidl denied a claim that his contract extension was a way to put off other potentially interested parties
“It wasn’t a matter of someone knocking,” he told Motorsport-Total.com.
“We have already been able to celebrate many successes together and Lando has made an extremely positive development from rookie to one of the top drivers in the paddock.
“So it’s clear we as a team have a vested interest in keeping him with us for as long as possible. And fortunately, Lando saw it that way too.
“In the winter, we held very positive talks. For Lando, it was important what his further journey in the team would look like, and that was convincing enough for him to commit to us for the long term. Which of course was a super sign for us as a team because it shows he has confidence in us as a team and in the journey we are on.”