Red Bull bigwig, Helmut Marko has opened up on how the side tried to sign McLaren’s Lando Norris and pair him alongside Max Verstappen
The bygone Russian Grand Prix showed what Lando Norris is capable of.
Although the McLaren man suffered a late heartbreak as inclement weather saw him fall out of a potential first ever win in the land of Formula 1, the fact that the Brit managed to dominate till the last two laps was a testament to his sprawling expertise. Looking set to take pole, Norris saw his car skittle as rain lashed Sochi, a predicament which saw him fall into seventh place as Lewis Hamilton raked up his 100th win.
Its this expertise which saw McLaren snag the starlet and make him a part of their setup alongside Daniel Ricciardo. However, it wasn’t only McLaren who offered Norris a set with Red Bull’s head honcho of the driver racing program, Helmut Marko revealing how the side had approached Norris as well.
Helmut Marko Reveals Red Bull Approach For Lando Norris
Helmut went onto talk about how despite Red Bull holding a serious interest in the driver who is a graduate of McLaren’s youth setup, the team had failed to sign Norris owing to him being on a long term contract with McLaren.
āWeāve had talks with him, but heās tied to McLaren for the long term,ā Marko toldĀ Sport24 auto.
āWe remain true to our path.
āNorris has caught my eye before. But Max is still at the top of my rankings because he can deliver immediately in all conditions and without a run-up, which he proved again impressively just now in the rain in Sochi. He almost even won the race, he just had to come into the pits one lap earlier,” Marko continued as he talked about how he believes Verstappen is a better talent when compared to Norris.
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