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Lando Norris has played down the size of the salary attached to his new McLaren contract, insisting that it is not close to the figures being associated with Formula 1’s biggest earners.
The reigning champion recently signed a new agreement with the Woking-based team that will keep him at McLaren until at least the end of the 2030 season. The long-term commitment quickly prompted speculation that Norris had moved into the financial bracket occupied by Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
Norris, however, has rejected that suggestion. “I mean, I feel I should earn as much as them, but it [his new contract] is certainly not close to the figures that I’ve been seeing online, sadly!” he said, as quoted by The Telegraph.
He confirmed that the contract represents an increase on his previous deal, while making clear that it does not match the reported earnings of Verstappen and Hamilton.
“Of course, it is a bit more [than the last deal], as it is with any job when you extend,” Norris said. “But it’s certainly not close to the level of Lewis or Max. Which, in a way, it shouldn’t be because I’ve not achieved as much as what they’ve achieved in their careers.”
Verstappen and Hamilton, established as two of Formula 1’s most successful drivers, are estimated in the source material to earn between $60 million and $70 million per year. Norris accepts that his career record does not yet place him alongside them financially, but he also believes his current level of performance gives him reason to expect that could change.
His position is deliberately balanced: he recognises the achievements that underpin the top salaries, while maintaining that he can compete with either driver when required. That confidence is central to his ambition to reach the same financial level in the future.
“But in another way, I believe it should be, because I believe I can fight against them whenever I need to, and I can do a better job whenever I need to. So yeah, I guess I have two opinions on it,” he said.
Norris does not know when his next extension or renewal will come, but he hopes to match those figures eventually. “I’m working on it,” he added. “But no, I dream of seeing those figures that I’ve seen online.”
The contract itself underlines McLaren’s commitment to its champion. For more on the agreement, read Lando Norris extends McLaren contract through 2030.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.