Lando Norris has been credited for com🍃mitting early to staying at McLaren.

Norris penned a new multi-year deal w🐟ith McLaren before the 2024 F1 season started - only for the driver market to then explode with Lewis Hamilton's shock move to Ferrari.

It means that Norris is no longer on the 🐭table as an option for Mercedes, as a Hamilton replacement, or for Red Bull if they choose to axe Sergio Perez.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff even admitted that Norris an🐭d Charles Leclerc (who signed a new Ferrari deal) would have interest🎉ed him, if they were available.

But Norris has not naively missed an opportunity, Natalie Pinkham ♊told the podcast.

"I don't think so. Iಞ think it's a really smart move," she said.

"McLaඣren are going in the right directio𒉰n and they continue to do so.

"He played down their cha💝nces at the start of the𒉰 season. I know they lack pace in a straight line. He was frustrated in Saudi.

"Bu꧑t there is something so important about being loyal to a team, sꦺticking to a team, moulding that team around you.

"Lando has been clever, in that respect.

"I🦄'd love to see him in the Red Bull. That would be great to see him perform aꦉlongside Max.

"But everyth🍒ing i♋s a risk. You make the wrong move at the wrong time in your career and it can change everything.

"I think [Norris has been] smart."

McLaren CEO Zak Brown h🐷as hailed his young and exciting driver duo of Norris and Oscar Piastri as the best combo in F1.

𝔉"The best ♎for McLaren is to have two great drivers pushing each other," L'Equipe's Fred Ferret said.

"That's how to gro🍨w and become 🧜one of the top teams."

Piastri, in his second 𒅌year in F1, can push Norris to ꧟be McLaren's star driver.

"Last year hꦜe was brilliant as a rookie," Pinkham 🥀said.

"Th🦋ere were a few mistakes but he was laseܫr-focused on ironing them out.

"I feel like, this year, his shoul🌱ders are back and he has grown a couple of incheဣs.

"I don't know if that's innate 🌳in him or great mentorship from Mark We🦄bber."