Brown insists Norris has ‘zero exit clauses’ in McLaren contract

Last year Norris committed to McLaren by signing a new long-term deal running until the end of the 2025 season, but that hasn’t stopped speculation surrounding his future ramping up amid the team’s dreadful start to F1 2023. 

The 23-year-old British is one of the hottest prospects on the F1 grid and has stressed he still has faith in McLaren’s project to return to winning ways despite their recent woes. 

Norris has been linked with the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari but Brown has downplayed the prospect he could leave McLaren early. 

"He has zero exit clauses," McLaren Racing CEO Brown told Sky Sports F1. 

"Ultimately, when his contract is next up, if we are not performing and he doesn't feel he can win races and can compete for the championship, then I think anybody, driver or team member for that matter [would be considering leaving], we are all here to win.

"He has got a contract with us and, most importantly, he is very happy here and he sees the progress that we are making, and he is a team player.

"So, even contracts aside, it is about that he is in a happy environment, he is along for the journey, and we have got some time to prove to him that we are going to give him a car capable of winning.

"Right now it is pretty easy but if we are sitting here in two years' time and his contract is nearing the end, then it is a different situation if we are not performing and I would understand him going 'I need to get into a winning race car’.

"But, right now, I think we are all focused on working together to get that car so I think it is too early to be worried about anything other than having a good weekend."