Lando Norris extends McLaren F1 contract through at least 2030

With Verstappen at Red Bull and Leclerc at Ferrari locked in through the same period, the top of the F1 grid is essentially frozen — and the article makes a convincing case that this is structural, not coincidental. The combination of enormous guaranteed wealth, the genuine risk of a performance dip when switching teams, and a shrinking pool of truly competitive seats means the incentive to move has largely evaporated. The sharpest point raised is what this means for the next generation: F2 champions like Leonardo Fornaroli have nowhere to go when the seats at the front are occupied for half a decade at a stretch. Piastri's situation is the one live thread — his contract likely runs to 2028, his form has dipped relative to Norris, and the question of whether he stays or becomes a project leader elsewhere is now the most interesting driver market story left.