Ever since the dip in the form of Sergio Perez, the second Red Bull seat has been put in contention. Perez might keep the seat for another year, but it looks highly unlikely the Mexican will get a contract extension from the constructor’s champions. So now the topic of who will race alongside Max Verstappen in the future has become a regular topic of discussion. Many have been pipped to take over the duties of regularly racing alongside Verstappen, but none as much as Lando Norris, especially after the 2023 British GP. However, as revealed by Peter Windsor, there might be an ulterior motive for preference toward Norris, apart from his talents.

It is no secret the entire Red Bull hierarchy, especially Christian Horner, are admirers of the Brit’s talents. In fact, the Red Bull boss even made a cryptic admission of his desire to sign Norris in the future and for the future. However, when asked who among the current grid is deserving of the second Red Bull seat, the F1 veteran answered the question in two parts.

Answering the question, Windsor said, “I can tell the drivers that Max wouldn’t want in the other Red Bull. Not because he is afraid they’re going to beat him but because they’re going to be a little bit of an irritation and distraction and not allow him to relax and do the job he can do in a perfect way.” He then mentions the likes of “Charles Leclerc, Lewis, George,” and then he talks about Verstappen’s sinister reason to have Norris as his teammate.

He adds, “I think he would probably be okay with Lando to push. No disrespect to Lando, I just imagine he would find Lando a little bit earlier to deal with than George that’s all. Or just sort of handling the other car. Probably because of the way Oscar’s going against him, so he probably thinks Lando wouldn’t be that much of a trouble.”      

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So now we know why Christian Horner can continue his pursuit of the McLaren man for the other Red Bull seat. It’s all to do with keeping the peace in the team. In fact, this exact scenario played out on track as well in Japan, and Windsor pointed it out.

Max Verstappen is not as concerned about Lando Norris as the rest of his competition

The 2023 Japanese GP might’ve also had the same outcome as the majority of the races in the season. However, like every race, Japan also gave us some insights into the grid dynamics. We saw Norris and Verstappen go at it right at the start of the race with both drivers wheel to wheel after lights out.

However, the way the battle turned out gave Windsor a sense of the dynamics between Verstappen and Norris. The same aforementioned dynamics just playing out on the track.

He stated, “And Lando was ahead as they went through the first part, the kink, the right kink. He is definitely ahead. There was a moment there, if he had been a George or dare I say Kevin Magnussen, probably a Charles Leclerc as well; I think he would have gone for it.”

Windsor added, “He was almost there but then he gave the position to Max. I think from Max’s point of view, again the psychology of the individual, he was thinking: umm this isn’t Charles, this isn’t George, this is Lando; I think I have got this. I know I have got this. Put the head down, go! And so it proved.”

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This gives a glimpse into how their relationship will be as teammates as well. However, as things progress, we doubt if Norris is regularly fighting with Verstappen in the front, the two would be as cordial toward themselves.