Lando Norris has committed to a multi-year contract extension with McLaren that will keep him alongside Daniel Ricciardo until at least the end of the 2023 season.

The 21-year-old had a deal in place that included an option for next season, but with Ricciardo in the first season of a three-year contract McLaren has moved to cement its line-up for the longer term. Norris has excelled in his third season in Formula 1 so far, currently sitting fourth in the drivers’ championship after scoring a podium in Imola, and says he believes he and the team can progress to win titles together.

“I’m really pleased to have extended my relationship with McLaren from 2022,” Norris said. “Having been with the team for almost five years, I feel very much part of the family here and I couldn’t imagine starting the next phase of my career anywhere else. McLaren has been a huge support since my days in junior series and I’ve really enjoyed learning and developing as a driver since.

“My commitment to McLaren is clear: my goal is to win races and become Formula 1 world champion and I want to do that with this team. Since joining in 2017 our progression has been consistent and we have clear ambitions together for the future.

“I want to say thank you to Zak (Brown) and Andreas (Seidl) for the belief they’ve shown in me since the beginning, and to the whole team for giving me such a strong environment to continue my career in. We’ve already had some incredible moments together which I’ll never forget — two podiums and securing P3 in the championship — and together with Daniel and the rest of the team I’m looking forward to pushing for even more success in the years to come.”

Team principal Seidl says the decision to extend Norris’ deal was a simple one, as McLaren considers him to be central to the team’s progress.

“Our decision to confirm Lando’s long-term future at McLaren was very straightforward,” Seidl said. “Lando has impressed us since his rookie year with his performances, and his evolution as a driver since then has been clear to see. He’s an integral part of our performance recovery plan and his record so far, securing two podiums with the team over the past year, has shown he’s a formidable competitor on track.

“Like him, we have strong ambitions for our future together and I’m pleased we’re continuing this journey for both Lando and the team. In Lando and Daniel we have a hugely talented and exciting driver line-up, and this announcement is a strong signal of commitment to the next chapter for McLaren from 2022 onwards.”