Getting onto a young driver programme can mean more chance of making it to Formula 1. Many of the big names in junior formulae are signed to a teams’ programme, gaining support through their junior careers and expert advice.
For many drivers, like Callum Ilott, getting into talks with one team is a great, but how does a driver choose when there’s more than one team wanting to get you on board?
That was the dilemma for Lando Norris.
Norris revealed to Autosport that he had been in discussions with Red Bull, Renault, Mercedes, and McLaren. The young Brit has been turning heads throughout his career and is marked as a future superstar. It’s little wonder why teams wanted him on board.
He eventually signed with McLaren, becoming part of their junior programme line-up in February.
“It wasn’t so much on just wanting to get on a junior programme, it was more about getting to know what they could offer, and what opportunities they could offer in the future,” Norris explained.
“In that sense, McLaren was by far the best.
“McLaren being based in England is a huge positive – and they have more opportunities for the future.”
Of course, the big opportunity most young drivers are looking for is a chance to get into F1.
At first glance, McLaren might not seem like the best place to achieve that goal. With other teams able to, in one way or another, find places in midfield teams for their junior drivers, McLaren seems to be at a disadvantage.
Norris doesn’t think that’s the case.
“McLaren has the best record of getting young drivers into F1,” he said. “They have a programme for them in terms of the sim, physical training, and getting to know engineers and everything.
“Whereas it seems, in some of the others, there seems to be less interaction. You have the name ‘young driver’ and that’s more or less it.
“McLaren offer a lot more, and believe in their drivers when they have the chance to get to F1.”
A second Honda powered team could open up some chances for Norris to get his foot into F1 in the future.
In recent years, McLaren have promoted Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne to F1, but Red Bull have been far better at getting young drivers into their two teams. So why not become a Red Bull Junior?
“With Red Bull, it doesn’t seem like the drivers have the most control over what goes on,” Norris explained. “Helmut Marko obviously plays a huge role in deciding who does what and where.
“They have two teams, but unless you’re the next Verstappen, you’re not going to be put straight in a Red Bull seat.”
With the competition to get into F1 so tough, the choice to sign with McLaren over anybody else could play an important part in Norris’ future career.
Norris is currently running in the European Formula 3 championship and is third in the standings, with a race win already under his belt.
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