Lando Norris has no regrets about signing a long-term contract with McLaren.

Lando Norris responded to Jenson Button’s criticism of his decision to remain with McLaren by accusing him of “talking s***.” The Englishman insists he made the correct decision to extend his contract.

A year ago, Norris signed the contract that will keep him with McLaren until 2026. Reportedly, it was worth £80m to the 23-year-old.

But Button believes he should not have signed such a lengthy contract. Last month, the former world champion stated that Norris will need to join a competitive squad in order to win races and titles.

Last season, Norris reached the podium only once, and McLaren ended fifth in the Constructors’ Championship. Yet, he has responded to criticism by stating that he should have left his options open.

He said: “That is not always so straightforward. Formula One is unique in that even if you are the best driver in the world, you may not be in the finest car. This is not your fault.

“Lewis (Hamilton) joined McLaren in 2007 when they were winning championships and races, which makes you look good from the start. If he had joined McLaren at this time, he would not have won a race, nor would he be the driver he is now, nor would he have accomplished what he has today.

“Not everyone is aware of what occurs behind the scenes and the chances available. That is up to me, and I am the one who decides yes or no.

“I might simply be here because I am enjoying it better and because I like McLaren; it’s that easy. I value people’s perspectives, especially Jenson’s because he has been through a great deal of these situations, so I consider them all.

“I am not oblivious to what he is saying; I partially comprehend it. But if someone says something derogatory about me, I will simply laugh it off and move on. Huge deal. I probably would have taken it more seriously a few years ago.

“I am doing my best, but the vast majority of those who post these comments lack awareness of the actual facts. They have recently expressed a controversial viewpoint.”

Norris did not regret his decision one bit. And he acknowledges that it would be sweeter to win with McLaren than with any other team.

He added: “No. We saw what was on the table, but I want to believe in McLaren — the Formula One team that gave me an opportunity.

“It would mean more to me if we were to finally win a global championship, as opposed to simply stepping into a car and winning a championship, although I would love to achieve both. Currently, it is difficult, and I wish we were ahead of where we are.”

Hamilton explains the good news and bad news about Mercedes car ahead of F1 season

During three days of testing in Bahrain last week, Lewis Hamilton offered both good and bad news for Mercedes fans. The Silver Arrows joined all other F1 teams in testing their new cars ahead of this weekend’s season opening at the same track, commencing their attempt to recoup from a terrible 2022 season.

Following eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships, Toto Wolff’s team won just one Grand Prix during the 21-race season. This was stated by George Russell in Brazil, where Hamilton did not take the checkered flag for the first time in his legendary career.

Russell and Hamilton finished fourth and sixth in the drivers’ standings, respectively, well behind Red Bull. And Mercedes finished third in the Constructors standings as Ferrari moved into second place.

Over the most of the season, the issue of porpoising dogged Hamilton in particular, making the vehicle difficult to drive. Yet, despite the fact that both drivers experienced difficulties in Bahrain, the F1 legend declared that the issue had been resolved.

“Right now, for instance, the bouncing that we had has essentially disappeared, so that’s a significant stride for us,” Hamilton told journalists in Bahrain, including PlanetF1.com. “It’s fantastic to be able to drive without bouncing, but we’re still working through fundamental issues.”

And while thanking team members, the seven-time world champion added a word of caution: “They’re just things that we’re working through, some of the balancing issues that we had last year are still present, so we worked through them.

The 38-year-old Hamilton’s future is expected to be the subject of further conjecture if he and Mercedes endure another disappointing season. He stated in October that he intended to sign a “multi-year” contract with the organization, but there have been no developments since then.

Indeed, Jenson Button has predicted that he will retire if his team fails to build a competitive car this season. The current contract of Hamilton expires at the end of 2023.