MERCEDES TOLD TO LAUNCH LANDO NORRIS RAID AS LEWIS HAMILTON ADVISED TO JOIN FERRARI
Mercedes have been urged to steal Lando Norris from McLaren if Lewis Hamilton walks away from the Silver Arrows. Meanwhile, Hamilton has been tipped for a move to Ferrari in a bid to secure his eighth world title as Mercedes' problems continue for a second campaign.
A new Express Sport poll put Norris as the clear favourite to replace the seven-time champion. The Briton faces his own difficulties at McLaren. A massive 63 per cent of readers feel Norris would be the best pick for the second seat at Mercedes alongside George Russell.
Charles Leclerc secured 26 per cent of the vote with new AlphaTauri star Nyck de Vries supported by just 11 per cent. McLaren have failed to make performance leaps in 2023 with the team failing to score any points so far this season.
Norris retired in Bahrain and finished a lowly 17th in Saudi Arabia almost a lap behind the leaders. Ahead of the season, Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok claimed Norris should be Mercedes' "number one pick" if Hamilton leaves the team.
However, he has raised fears over the 23-year-old's bumper McLaren deal which has him tied down until the end of 2025. After Bahrain, he explained: "Looking at where they're [McLaren] at, and we were talking before the season of McLaren locking him in and Zak [Brown] doing an amazing job of contracting him in for that four-year period.
"I do wonder, and if they're smart they would have created some sort of exit clauses. For example, McLaren don't finish in the top four of the constructors' championship two years in a row, is there an option for Lando to look elsewhere? Because outside of the traditional top three teams, you've got Fernando [Alonso] and Lando who are your top two drivers on the grid aren't they?"
Norris has pledged his support to McLaren to find a fix but admitted he "wasn't patient" and feared the team's issues may last longer than his contract.
Hamilton's future is still uncertain with the 38-year-old yet to sign an extension with the German manufacturer. In Jeddah, Toto Wolff accepted Hamilton could leave the construction if they were unable to give him a car capable of winning.
Sky Sports host Simon Lazenby told Express Sport that a move to Ferrari would be the most likely option. This is supported by fans with 42 per cent feeling Hamilton should join the Prancing Horse for his next career move.
Although, just over a quarter (26 per cent) feel he would best suit a move to Aston Martin with 11 per cent wanting to see him at Red Bull.