Verstappen not interested in Norris-style team

Max Verstappen says he has no interest in following Lando Norris into running a full single-seater junior team, preferring to keep his own motorsport projects centred on endurance racing.

Norris recently launched LN4 Fusion, with plans spanning Formula 4, Formula 3 and even Formula 2.

But Verstappen told Viaplay that his ambitions are different.

"I don’t want to be in formula racing itself," he said.

"He also has investors. I do it all myself, because I also want to keep the decisions in my own hands."

"I want to do it the way I want it to be."

Verstappen said he is happy helping young drivers progress without operating a full junior single-seater organisation.

"My passion in this area lies more in endurance racing," he said.

"I think it’s fine to guide drivers to the top, but not to lead the racing team for that too."

He continues to work with young drivers including Dries van Langendonck, while Chris Lulham has already progressed from sim racing into Verstappen’s GT program.

"In endurance you work with experienced drivers, who have been doing it for a long time, and hopefully with young talents from the sim world."

"I like that, that you can put together a nice group of people there and make a success of that."

There was also an obvious crossover with Norris’ own ambitions beyond Formula 1, with reports that the McLaren driver could race at Le Mans next year as part of Zak Brown’s plans for a major program.

Verstappen said that possibility had not even reached him.

"I don’t read that much, is that so?" he asked the reporter. "I get it, because I want that too."

His own participation would depend entirely on the still-unpublished 2027 F1 calendar.

"It would be nice, of course," said Verstappen. "If I participate, I want to do it my way."

Asked if that meant only entering with a genuine chance to win, Verstappen replied: "Yes, otherwise I won’t participate."

Viaplay also asked Verstappen about Dutch GT driver Loek Hartog’s dramatic rescue of Ollie Millroy from a burning Ferrari during the China GT race in Shanghai last weekend.

"Incredible," he said. "He did that very well."

"I have a lot of respect for that. Without him, he wouldn’t have survived."